Once Upon a Cursed Dream
by PinguThePenguin
Summary: Prince Sirius of Gryffindor has been arranged to marry the Princess of Ravenclaw, Serena. But when he arrives at Ravenclaw castle in preparation foe the wedding, he finds himself falling for the wrong person. A shy servant boy named Remus. SBRL
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Just to say now, NO I'M NOT DEAD! I have been very busy lately and this story was nagging at my brain for so long now, I had to write it. Took me a while to write the final draft, but it only took me two days to revise, edit, and type! Please no flames and no complaining that you don't like the way I wrote it. I took me a long time to sort this story out.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own any names from Harry Potter of any kind. (Unfortunately)**

**Warnings: Slash, as in, MalexMale. Don't like, don't read, please. **

_**Once Upon a Cursed Dream: Part 1**_

Once upon a time, in a place far, far away, there was a very large island inhabited by four English travelers named Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. These men and women discovered the island while exploring the oceans surrounding England, their homeland. Though, when they discovered it, each person had a different idea of what the island should be used for. Gryffindor thought the island should be turned into a kingdom of warriors; a kingdom of fighters and brave men willing to take part in any war and prevail in victory. Ravenclaw thought the island should be made into a kingdom of scholars; a kingdom with the greatest school systems and educations known to anyone. Hufflepuff thought the island should be turned into a kingdom of peace; a kingdom where everyone was kind to each other and there was no war whatsoever. But Slytherin had the worst idea. He thought the island should belong to him and only him. The subjects of his kingdom would be his slaves and serve him until the day they died. The other three travelers agreed that Slytherin's kingdom would by far be the worst, but he had been a large help in the discovering of the island, so they had to do something. In the end, the island was split into four parts: The kingdom of Gryffindor aka the kingdom of Courage, the kingdom of Ravenclaw aka the kingdom of Knowledge, the kingdom Hufflepuff aka the kingdom of Peace, and the kingdom of Slytherin aka the kingdom of Darkness. After that was sorted, the four founders got together and decided to name the whole island Hogwarts.

Years passed by and the kingdoms had changed. They hadn't turned out to be what the founders had hoped. Cowards were born into Gryffindor, idiots were born into Ravenclaw, and bullies were born into Hufflepuff. But Slytherin's kingdom turned out perfectly. The people were thieves and criminals and served their King with pleasure, though without dignity. Soon, Slytherin had enough power to hire assassins to kill the other rulers of Hogwarts. But, these assassins failed at their duty and Gryffindor declared war against Slytherin. Ravenclaw joined Gryffindor a few years into the war, but Hufflepuff remained neutral due to its nickname being the kingdom of Peace. After years and years of fighting, however, the war remained. It never ended. The original rulers of Hogwarts died off of old age and their heirs took the throne. Then _they_ died and _their_ heirs took the throne and so on.

Currently, the King of Slytherin was King Lucius and he was possibly just as bad as Salazar had been. He was vain and arrogant and allowed no one to match him. He simply had to be the best at every possible thing. Especially his looks. No one was to be better looking than him. There was even a law in his kingdom about not being better looking than the King. Every first day of the month, King Lucius would walk through the streets of his kingdom and search every households members to see if anyone was more handsome than himself. If there was, it was the guillotine for them. This had gone on for a few more years until the news spread around that the King and Queen of Ravenclaw, John and Charlotte were expecting their second child. At first, Lucius saw this as no threat, for the baby was in an entirely different kingdom and was not even born yet. But when the baby finally came, he began to worry. For this child was a boy and not another Princess like the first child had been. And his name was Remus.

King John and Queen Charlotte had been so happy Remus was born, they threw a celebration in honor of him, just as they had done when Serena, their first child, had been born. At the celebration, many people brought gifts for the child. But one woman in particular didn't bring anything to the child, but instead gave a gift that no one could match. The gift of fortune. It turns out, the woman was a traveling fortune-teller from the Hufflepuff kingdom and she came specifically to Ravenclaw to gladly tell the fortune of baby Remus. To the King and Queen's delight, she foretold that Remus was to be the most beautiful boy in all of Hogwarts and though he would face much difficulty and hardship, one special person he would meet in his lifetime would change everything for him.

Word of the fortune spread and spread until it had finally reached Slytherin, and to say King Lucius was furious was an understatement. He was so angry about there being someone being better looking than he. Even though this Prince was just a baby, he knew that the problem must be taken care of soon, or else it would be too late. So, he sent a castle mage to the kingdom of Ravenclaw and ordered her to curse the child with a fate so cruel, no one would love him. Instead, they would hate him because of it. The mage happily obliged and she willingly broke into Ravenclaw castle and cursed Remus with the worst she could imagine. The worst part was that she had not been caught and no one knew she had been there.

A few days passed by in the quaint castle after that. The servants and maids were doing their jobs without any fuss and the royal family went about their daily duties and business. Except for the two-year-old Princess, Serena. She often played with Remus in his room like he was one of her lifeless dress-up dolls. But when daylight faded to sunset and the moon began to rise, shining its light threw Remus' open window, something strange happened. Little Remus started twitching and fidgeting and struggling against something. This confused Serena greatly, because whenever she played with Remus, he remained motionless and calm. Sensing that Remus' sudden spasms meant something was wrong, she ran to get her parents, fearing her younger brother's safety. When she explained what was happening, her parents followed her to Remus' nursery to see a horrible sight they weren't expecting. Remus was crying and screaming now. And when they looked closer, they could see hair or fur was sprouting out of places it shouldn't have been. Out of his gums grew pointy fangs and his tiny fingernails grew longer and sharper. Suddenly, Remus wasn't Remus anymore.

The King and Queen were now afraid of their own son. Serena was too young to understand, though, so she just got confused when her parents told her that Remus was a monster and that she should stay away from him. "But mommy, daddy," she would ask. "why is he so scary? He's just a baby. And he's my brother!" But they had just answered her by saying Remus had changed and that he wasn't her brother anymore. "Yes he is!" she would retaliate. "He's the Prince and I'm the Princess! That means we're brother and sister!" And the conversation would continue until her parents gave up. Leaving Serena's confusion alone for the time being, they thought of a way to get Remus out of the picture. They were so full of fear that they didn't want Remus around anymore. The first plan was to kill him, but as afraid as she was, Queen Charlotte couldn't handle having her own flesh and blood put to death before he had a chance to live. The second plan was to send him away to a different place. Possibly an orphanage in Hufflepuff, but Serena heard them planning and begged them not to send Remus away. She begged and pleaded, saying she would take care of Remus as best she could if they let him stay at the castle. So the final plan was to lock Remus away in the tallest tower of the castle, tell the whole of Hogwarts that Prince Remus had died from a mysterious disease, and raise the boy to believe he was an orphaned servant boy for the royal family. And as expected, Remus never learned of his royal heritage. He served the King, Queen, and Princess for his life, believing himself to be a commoner indebted to the royal family. He cleaned, he sewed and sometimes he even cooked (though not often).

When Serena grew older and more mature, however, she came to understand how cruel her parents were really being. She thought it to be terribly infuriating. She wanted so badly to scream at Remus and tell him to stop letting people stomp all over him and that he was a Prince and he didn't have to listen to them, but she couldn't. The most she could do was keep true to the promise she gave to her parents and take care of Remus after every full moon night. But what she hadn't expected was that Remus grew up to be very shy and insecure of himself. He allowed people to tell him what to do and he would happily do it. This development made him less intimidating to the King and Queen and so, instead of avoiding him, they bossed him around as much as possible. It angered Serena to the very core, but she often calmed herself and said that Remus was just young and naïve and that he would soon grow out of that phase. But he never had. And deep down, Serena suspected he never would. He was broken, and someone had to fix him. And that someone was out there somewhere. She just knew it.

-About ten years later-Sirius' P.O.V.-

"Father, you know I do not wish to marry!" I cried at my purple faced father. We had been arguing for a few hours now and I was getting angrier and angrier every time a word escaped his mouth. "There is a war between our kingdom and Slytherin! Our armies are dying in combat and I will not take lightly to it! Could I at least wait until the war is over and then think about marriage?" My father's face swelled so much I was afraid it would explode.

"Sirius," my mother interfered before my father could jump out of his throne and wring my neck. "you are the Prince of Gryffindor. Orion and I are growing old and we won't be around for much longer. When we die, someone will have to rule the kingdom."

"Walburga's right, boy!" my father jumped in. "When you take over the kingdom, you're going to have to get yourself an heir! And to do that, you have to get married first! You must think about doing what's best for yourself and your kingdom!"

I desperately wanted to shout at them and say they weren't the boss of me, but technically, they were. Plus, my father would probably get even angrier at me than he already was. "I will do the best for my kingdom by protecting it! Not by running off to Ravenclaw to ignore my kingdom and marry a woman I've never even met!" Saying that wasn't my best idea ever.

"Sirius!" my father shouted at me. "You will do as you are told and marry Princess Serena to keep up this royal bloodline! Your carriage to take you to Ravenclaw arrives at noon tomorrow, and if you are not in it, I swear on Godric Gryffindor's grave that I will throw you in the middle of this bloody battlefield of a war myself!" He rose out of his throne in anger and stomped his way toward a window and stared outside.

I laughed. "Good! I would rather fight for my people than marry this girl!"

My mother screamed and I jumped a bit when my father pounded a fist on the glass in rage, almost breaking it. "Well, Ravenclaw is our ally, Sirius! What about their armies? When you're a King, you have to worry about both your own kingdom and the ones that are on your side! Why don't you help Ravenclaw for a change?" he looked at me with fire blazing in his eyes.

"Their own Prince can help them!" I snarled in response.

"They have no Prince!" he banged his fist on the glass again, causing it to crack. My mother escaped the room, probably to fetch a servant to come fix the abused window. "You know their Prince died of disease shortly after birth." He turned his back to me and stared out the window again. "I know you were only almost a year old when it happened, but for lord's sake, be more considerate!" A silence grew and I heard him add, "He would have been your age by now."

I supposed it was a bit disrespectful of me to mock the dead Prince but I hadn't wanted to. I'd forgotten about it. No one ever spoke of it anymore. They rarely brought it up, because even though the Prince didn't have any relation to Gryffindor at all, it's very upsetting to hear any member of any royal family, especially a baby, has died. "Sirius," my father continuing broke me out of my thoughts. "Never before had I ever thought I'd need to go this far with you, but I'm afraid you leave me no choice." He sighed and turned to face me a final time. "If you do not do as you are told and marry Princess Serena then I shall have no choice but to banish you from Gryffindor, no questions asked."

"What?" I could feel my face turn red in rage. "That's preposterous! If I were to be banished, who would take my place as heir?" I was ashamed to admit that I was afraid.

My father spoke calmly and held a blank expression as he said, "Your younger brother Regulus would be old enough to marry and take the kingdom by the time your mother and I pass on."

Regulus? He wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of being King. He's too young and too stupid! But it seemed that my father was serious about letting him rule. He was looking me right in the eye with a determined face. He would really resort to kicking me out of my own home if I didn't obey him? I couldn't take it anymore. I stormed off to my room, passing my mother in the process who looked a bit weary and tired like she always did.

It took a while for me to reach my room, due to the size of the castle and all. Once I got there, I slammed the giant doors closed and collapsed on the silky red sheets covering my bed. My head was swelling with anger and sadness. I was only eighteen and yet, I was forced to marry a woman I didn't know. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't been born into this family", I stated to myself bitterly. All I could do to benefit myself however, was to close the curtains and block the full moon's light from my room and try and sleep in preparation for the long day that lay ahead of me.

-The next morning at Ravenclaw Castle-Remus' P.O.V.-

I ached all over. The pain searing through my body was almost too much for me to handle. I tried reaching a hand to my face to check for any damage, but I was much too weak. The bones in my arms and legs were stiff and my head felt too heavy to lift. But then again, this happens every month. I honestly don't know why I'm not used to it. I shifted my eyes around the room, taking in the surroundings and, as usual, I was lying naked in my own pool of blood and I could feel fresh scars openly bleeding on my pale skin. I hated how weak I felt. Every month, I would feel so powerless and defenseless. It was not only hurtful to my body but hurtful to my soul as well.

Suddenly, I heard my door creak open and I couldn't help but smile. Serena was right on time. And though I wasn't facing her direction, I knew that she was carrying a bucket of water, a washcloth, a roll of gauze, medicines and creams and best of all, a warm cup of steaming hot chocolate. The smell of it made my mouth water. My throat was so dry I needed something to drink. And she knew hot chocolate was my favorite too. She was too kind to me.

I heard her place all of her supplies down on the floor next to her and sit herself down next to me. "Good morning, Remus." She said, taking my face and turning it in her direction. "Can you speak?"

"Just barely, Princess." I muttered, finding my voice to be quiet and raspy.

Serena sighed and started cleaning off my wounds. "What have I told you, Remus? Call me Serena! We've known each other for such a long time. It's very strange to hear a friend of mine call me 'Your Highness', or 'Your Majesty'."

I winced in pain as she began to clean one wound on my chest. "I didn't know you considered me of yours…" I believe that somewhere deep inside me, I did know, but I felt honored to hear her say it herself.

A bright smile plastered itself on Serena's face. "You're more of a friend to me than anyone could think, Remus." She said as she wrapped my arm in the thick gauze. As she did so, a silence passed and I was ever so tired I thought I might fall asleep while she was treating me, but then she continued speaking. "By the way, Remus. Have I told you the news, yet?"

This confused me, because she obviously hadn't told me any news. "What news?" I asked, remaining as polite as possible.

"I am meeting with my fiancé today!" She sounded so excited, I couldn't help but smile. Serena was such a sweet woman. She deserved someone that could make her happy. "Though, it's a bit strange that mother and father told me that he was a bit younger than me. He's your age actually. But, I don't really care about that. They also told me he's the most handsome man in Gryffindor kingdom." She sighed dreamily, finally done with wrapping and cleaning my wounds.

"What does this man look like then?" I inquired. "If you don't mind my asking, of course."

"Oh, Remus." She began. "Mother and father say his hair is as black as the night sky, and his eyes are as blue as the sky. But that's all they've told me. They don't want me jumping to any conclusions. But I don't know why. I am marrying him and all." She stood and walked to the corner of the room to grab something off a rocking chair.

I smiled gratefully at her as she came back to help me off the floor and lead me to my bed. "He sounds very good-looking, Princess." I said as she placed a blanket over my shivering body and tucked me in tightly.

"I just hope he's kind and caring and loves me for I am. That would be the dream." Serena then put her hand on the back of my neck and tilted it upward so she could put the cup of hot chocolate to my lips and gently pour it down my throat. I could hear her giggle when I moaned happily at the feeling of warm liquid running down my throat.

Once I had enough for the moment, I tapped on her knee twice and she removed the cup from my lips and set it back down on the bedside table. "Are you going to be able to walk by noon?" she asked, suddenly. "The Prince will be here by then and my father said he had a special task for you to do while he's here." She looked at me with worry in her eyes.

I decided to test my strength by moving my head side to side. It was only a bit painful, but I could do it nonetheless. "I should be fine by then." I rasped. "I just need to lay down for as long as possible."

Serena smiled pityingly down at me. I really did appreciate that she cared so much for me. She treated me like a mother treats her own child. "I must go prepare myself for the Prince's arrival. I can't let him see me in my nightgown, can I?" She gave a twirl to show off how underdressed she was in her nightgown and slippers with her hair in a total mess. "But," she continued. "I will be back as soon as I can to come check on you. Alright?"

I barely nodded, already almost asleep because I was so exhausted. Serena laughed and leaned forward to kiss me on the head. And by that time, I was curling myself into a ball and falling asleep before Serena even left the room.

-A few hours later-Sirius' P.O.V.-

When I arrived at Ravenclaw castle, I had to take in how posh the exterior looked. The garden was trimmed perfectly, with hedges lining against the stone walkway to the front door. Mostly every flower in the ground was blue, whether it was light blue, regular blue, or dark blue, it was some shade of blue. I looked forward to the giant double doors ahead of me, preparing myself for the agonizing journey I was sure to endure the moment I stepped into this castle.

Now, I don't know what exactly happened, but the next thing I remember, I was being rushed off to a sitting room to meet the Princess I was to marry. Once I was forced in, I saw that the room was absolutely huge (nothing I wasn't used to), but all that was in it was a couple of regal blue sofas set up around a small, glass round table. On the opposite wall of the door he was standing in, there was a large stone fireplace, already burning brightly. Every other wall was covered with windows, letting so much light into the room, the fireplace wasn't really necessary.

"Sirius!" I drew my attention from the interior design of the room, to King John who had just called my name. "Very nice to see you joining us right on time! Come! Sit!" He seemed nice enough, though I was still a bit wary. I walked toward the center of the room to the sofas and it seemed by the time I got there, the only space open was the one next to a woman that looked very excited. She was staring at me like I was a puppy or something. Then, I figured that she must be Serena. I inwardly groaned at the thought of marrying her and having her follow me around everywhere. She seemed like one of those types.

I cautiously sat myself next her and instantly she took my hand in hers and squeezed it just a bit too tight. "Hello!" She said, with a large smile. "I'm Serena." I took this moment to get a good look at her. She was… pretty, I guess. Not beautiful, not perfect. Just… pretty. She had long blonde hair that seemed to reach down to her waist, and her face was practically painted with make-up. Though it didn't make her look bad, it really didn't make her look good either. And she had on the fluffiest pink dress I had ever seen and the stomacher was pushing her breasts together, making them look larger than they probably were. Anyone else in my position would say they were lucky, but honestly I just wanted to leave.

"Very nice to meet you, Serena." I ground out as best I could. It was very difficult, though, due to the strong grip she had on my hand.

The King suddenly clapped loudly, making both of us jump including the Queen. He was apparently calling for a servant, because the next thing I hear is the door opening and a man walked in with his chin held high and his hands folded expertly behind his back. "You called, Your Majesty?" he said in a deep voice as he bowed down before King John.

John leaned back in his chair, probably basking in the pride of being bowed down to. "Fetch Sirius' things and take them to his room, please." He announced. I seriously hoped that _my_ room wasn't meant as _Serena's_ room.

"Will that be all, Your Majesty?" the servant asked, not getting up from his bowing.

"No." The King replied. "Find Remus and tell him to get down here as soon as possible. I have something special in mind for him." I couldn't help but wonder who this Remus person was. Was he someone important or just another servant?

The servant's eyes widened and his head jerked up to look the King straight in the eye. "B-but, Your Majesty, are you sure?" He glanced at me for a brief second and I could have sworn he looked scared of something.

The King suddenly brought his fist down on the armrest of the sofa, much like my father had done to the window the day before. "You do not question my motives!" He shouted, making the servant jerk his head back down to the ground. "You will get Remus down here this instant! Even if he _wants_ to refuse, he _won't_. That's why he's perfect for the job I have for him. Now go!" He pointed a large finger at the door.

The servant finally stood from his knees and bowed once more. "Yes, Your Majesty. I shall get him for you." He quickly walked out of the room, sparing a worried glance in my direction.

Now I was afraid. What was this Remus like? Was he scary? Was he dangerous? Why did that servant seem so afraid of him? "Don't worry." I jumped. Apparently, the worry showed on my face, because Serena was now leaning in to me, whispering in my ear. "Remus isn't bad at all. He's the sweetest boy you'll ever meet." That reassured me just a bit, but I had to see this boy before I could believe her.

"Now, Sirius." King John started, making Serena roll her eyes and recline herself on the sofa with her arms crossed. "While we wait for Remus to arrive, why don't we discuss the wedding plans?" I would have loved to tell him that I'd rather not, but that would just get me into a bad situation. "Now, the wedding will take place in four months. When you are not helping with the plans you will be studying on the laws of our kingdom and getting to know your way around our castle, and even the towns surrounding the kingdom."

"Don't forget that when you're married, you'll have power over both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor." Queen Charlotte finally spoke. "Serena has been studying Gryffindor law for the past few weeks and before that, we called a cartographer to make us a map of the kingdom so she could study that also."

I was about to say that it was unfair that I had to leave my kingdom when I could have just as easily done what Serena was currently doing, but before I could even consider it, I heard the door open again. Suspecting it was another servant, I turned my head nonchalantly to the door, but I had to do a double take, because at first sight, I thought an angel had passed my line of vision.

It was a boy. His hair was a light, tawny-brown color and looked almost like strands of silk. The light of the sun shining through the windows hit him perfectly, turning his hair into a halo of beauty, framing a face so lovely, it made my breath catch in my throat. His skin looked smooth and creamy, and his lips were full and pink, to match the faint blush etching itself across a small nose and pinchable cheeks. But what caught my attention the most was the striking golden eyes staring timidly down at ground. He finally began moving and I noticed that each step he took was tentative and cautious, making him look very… fragile. As if one touch of his porcelain skin would cause him to break like a glass doll. "Y-you sent for me, Your Majesty?" Oh, that voice! It sounded like a bird chirping songs from heaven! It was so shy and quiet and higher pitched than most boys'. But then again, this boy was very small in size also. He only looked to be maybe a couple of inches above five feet.

But. This boy was beautiful.

"Ah, Remus." So this was Remus? What was so frightening about him? He was too beautiful to be dangerous. Then I saw the King was glaring at him. Why would he glare at such a lovely human being like Remus? "Get over here, now! We don't have all day!" he demanded. I narrowed my eyes at the King when Remus started walking faster toward him. When Remus finally reached the King's side, he continued. "Now, Remus. This," he pointed to me. "is Prince Sirius of the Gryffindor Kingdom. He is to marry Princess Serena come September."

I would forever remember this moment as the first time Remus' eyes met mine. It was the first time Remus had seen me, I assumed. His eyes were sparkling as they grew wider at the sight of me. Sensing that he was probably waiting for me to do something, I smiled kindly at him. But he just blushed and bowed his head down. I stood up and reached out my hand to him. "Remus," I rather liked that name. It rolls off the tongue so wonderfully. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Remus looked back up at me with fear and shock upon seeing that I wanted to shake hands. And then, he slowly backed away from me, making me wonder if he was alright. I stepped forward to reach for him again, but someone grabbed my arm. It was Serena. She was looking at me with sadness in her eyes as she shook her head at me. I was even more confused when I looked to see the Queen staring at her lap and the King glaring at me. "Remus," King John stated with authority. "is not allowed to touch anyone." I looked at Remus who's head was turned back to the ground, and I could've sworn that I saw a teardrop fall to his feet.

The King's intimidating glare was enough to make me sit back down next to Serena, who took me hand back in hers. "Now, if I may continue." The King grated through his teeth. "Remus!"

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Remus straightened his head back up and I could see that his hands were clenched tightly behind his back.

"Your assignment for the next four months is to be both Serena and Sirius' personal servant." I raised my eyebrow at the King and I saw out of the corner of my eye, that Serena was rolling her eyes. "You shall perform any task they give without question or hesitation, but you are still tied to your regular duties that you do daily. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Very good." The King sighed and leaned back on the sofa. "Now why don't you fetch us the tea."

"Err…" Remus began to look nervous. "You haven't requested that any tea be made, Your Majesty…" I heard a slight choke in his voice.

King John sighed loudly and rubbed his temples. "Then go prepare some and _then_ bring it to us."

I was ready to punch the King when I heard Remus whimper in fear. "O-of course. My apologies, Your Majesty. I shall get it right away." And in saying that, he began quickly retreating to the door. But just before he left, he turned his head to look right at me, and our eyes met once more. Remus blushed a deep red this time and failed at trying to hide it. I chuckled lightly at him and suddenly, Remus was gone, the door was closed, and I was staring at an empty spot.

I missed his presence already.

-Remus' P.O.V.-

As I made my way to the kitchens, the only thought on my mind was that Serena had been completely wrong in her description of Sirius. First off, his hair was not as dark as the night. It was even darker. It was as black as a raven's feathers. Second, his eyes were much bluer than the sky. They were instead, as blue as a shallow ocean abyss, and when I looked at them, I could feel him staring into my soul. Yet, they had a certain warmth to them. And Sirius seemed like such a brave, strong man. Like one of those 'Knights in Shining Armor' in those fairy tale books Serena read to me when I was little. I mean, he couldn't not be brave after reaching out to touch me like that. But then again, he doesn't know a thing about the curse.

When I reached the kitchen, the first thing I did was find the pair of gloves I was forced to wear upon entering the kitchen. The King was afraid that if I didn't wear them, I would taint everything that I touched. Including humans. Of course, I'm pretty sure my curse isn't contagious, but I have to do as I'm ordered. But as I gathered the teapot and the tea tray and the cups, my mind drifted back to Sirius. How I wished I could've touched his hand. He seemed so sweet and kind. Especially to me. It was almost as if something was drawing me to him. It took such an effort to move away from him, he was just so… mesmerizing. I sighed dreamily as I hung the tea kettle over the roaring stove and let my thoughts wander, which usually wasn't the best idea.

_I was laying in front of a fire, wrapped in Sirius' strong arms. He was looking at me with such love and devotion in his eyes and all I could do was snuggle farther into his chest. He ran his hand up and down my side lightly humming, almost putting me to sleep. And suddenly, he lifted a hand to my face and tilted my chin to where I was looking him straight in the eyes. I could once again feel those blue orbs staring right into my heart. I shyly turned my head away, but he just pulled me back. Then, he was leaning forward inch by inch and my heart began pounding in my chest. He was going to kiss me! I reached my hands into his dark hair causing him to smile and the both of us continued to lean forward until we were only inches away, and then-_

"Remus!"

"Huh? What?" I jumped out of my wonderful daydream to find myself holding a sack of flour in front of my face. I yelped and dropped the flour to the ground and looked at the Cook who was looking back at me in amusement.

"I think your tea is ready, dear." She stated matter-of-factly.

I suddenly realized the loud whistling noise coming from the tea kettle. I turned to it and saw the large cloud of steam surrounding it. I yelped again, and quickly pulled the kettle off the fire only to discover that the sack of flour was still on the ground, resulting in me tripping over it on my way to the tea tray. I fell to the floor, watching in agony as the kettle flew through the air. I was sure it was going to fall to the ground, until the Cook came rushing to it and caught it with her bare hands, quickly placing it on the counter, wiping her hands off on her apron as if she caught flying tea kettles every day. "Remus," she rested her hands on her hips as I rose from the floor in shame. "Try to be more careful when you're in the kitchen. I know how clumsy you can be, but just be more… cautious."

I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry, I just got a bit… distracted. It won't happen again, I promise." I walked back over to the tea tray and carefully poured the tea into the teapot. What was I doing? I can't start thinking like that! I have to remember my place in this castle. I am only a servant boy! It's a privilege for me to be here. I can't start thinking of myself being romantically involved with a _very_ good-looking Prince who is engaged to the Princess of my home kingdom. The King would have my head if he knew I was even thinking these silly thoughts. I took the full tea tray in my hands and lead myself out of the kitchen and down the hallway. It seemed to be an eternity before I reached the sitting room doors. I can do this. I just have to walk in, pour the tea, and leave. So I gathered up my courage, and pushed the door wide open.

But when the four occupants of the room all turned to stare at me at once, all that courage flew out the window.

I felt the heat rush to my cheeks for about the third time that day as I awkwardly made my way to the glass table. "Very good, Remus." King John said. "I assume you were wearing your gloves the _whole_ time you were working?" he questioned to me, eyeing my gloves that I still hadn't taken off. Not trusting my voice, I simply nodded to him. "Excellent. Just set the tray on the table and you may leave."

I did as I was told, and as I poured the tea very carefully into each cup, I could feel Sirius staring at me with those horribly dark eyes of his. Once I was done, I left the room without another word, wanting to leave as soon as possible.

After a century of silence, I reached the end of the tall, winding staircase and was standing in front of the pitiful wooden door that led to my room. I put a hand on the brass doorknob and rested my forehead on the wood, feeling exhausted once again. I opened the door and dragged my feet toward the small window on the opposite side of my room. I sat myself in front of it, and tucked my head on my arms as I stared off into the vast grassland my window gave me a view of. As I looked out, I remembered when I was younger and I would look out this same window, and daydream for hours on end about a brave and handsome knight coming to rescue me from my wretched tower.

I hated my tower. When I was in it, I felt shut off from the world. I felt disconnected. And when the King would lock me inside as punishment, I would feel like a caged animal destined to never see daylight again. That was why I loved my window. It introduced fresh air and sunlight to the terrible darkness of the bloody walls and furniture in the tower. I sighed and turned to look around me at the interior of my room. Blood stained almost everything. My chair, my bookshelf, my books, the door, and even my bedsheets. And was all due to my hated curse. The curse that made me a monster. The curse that made me inhuman. Sometimes I wished that I had known who cursed me, but I always reminded myself that if I did know, I would let myself be driven with anger and vengeance, and those two things wouldn't make me any less dangerous.

Grungy bed springs squeaked loudly as I threw myself upon my bed with watery eyes. "Sometimes I wish I had never been born!" I said to no one, burrowing my head under the flat, un-fluffy pillow. "Hopefully, one day, the curse will just kill me!"

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

I was starting to get extremely bored. Serena had requested that her mother and father retire to another room so she and I could have some alone time. Though, not only was I getting bored, I was also getting rather annoyed by Serena's hand occasionally grazing my arm or my knee. Actually, I was surprised she wasn't talking about the wedding or how many children we were going to have. It sounded like she was genuinely trying to get to know me.

"So," Serena rested her hand on mine. "I understand you have a younger brother?" I nodded. "Well, what's he like, then?" she laughed.

I sighed rather loudly. I was hoping my family wasn't going to come up in our conversation, but apparently, the Fates were against me today. "Well, his name is Regulus, and he basically looks exactly like I did when I was his age. He acts completely different though." I smiled. "He does everything my parents tell him to do."

"Oh? So then, what were you like?"

"Me?" I laughed. "I was a rebellious little thing. I snuck out at night to play outside, which I was never allowed to do. I would never eat what was served at mealtimes. I would just have the cook make something else for me. And when Regulus was born, I honestly tried to lock him in a closet."

"What?" Serena gasped, but she had a smile on her face. "Why would you do that?"

"Well, you know how kids are! I was upset that he was getting so much more attention than me so I tried to stow him away somewhere." Serena was laughing now, and even though it sounded planned and rehearsed, I think she actually thought the story was funny. "Speaking of little brothers," I continued once she calmed herself down. "Do you remember anything about yours? You know, before he… you know?" I finished awkwardly.

I was that I entered dangerous territory, but instead of yelling at me, or telling me to leave, Serena smiled sadly and moved her gaze to a window. "I remember that he was a much quieter baby than others. And he was born very small, but that's it really. He was only one when he died, after all."

"What did he die of? I mean, I know it was some disease, but what kind?"

"It's been so long, I can't remember."

I eyed her suspiciously now. "You seem awfully calm, speaking about all this."

She chuckled and shook her head slowly. "Sirius," she looked at me and put the hand that was on own hand on my knee instead. "My brother is more alive than you'd think."

"Oh. I see." I really didn't see, but I also didn't want to press the matter any further. Even if Serena wasn't angry now, there was always the possibility that she would, and I didn't want to find out what it took.

After that, there was a small pause in the conversation. Until Serena said, "What did you think of Remus, Sirius?"

My eyes widened in shock. I hadn't expected her to bring Remus up at all. She was a Princess. Why would she want to talk about her servants? Maybe she wasn't a spoiled daddy's girl like I expected. In fact, she seemed to rather dislike her daddy. "Oh, Remus?" I broke out of my thoughts. "Well, from what I've seen of him, he sounds like a very b-nice… person." I almost said the word beautiful and I had to catch myself.

"Oh, he's more than just nice!" Serena responded, playfully punching my arm. "He's the sweetest boy you'll ever meet. Just wait until you get to meet him properly, then you'll see what I mean." She suddenly acted very excited. "In fact, I can bring him down here now! Is that alright?"

"Of course!" I answered just a bit too quickly… and loudly.

"Wonderful! I'll go get him! Stay right here!" And just like that, she kissed me on the cheek and was out of the room before I could think to respond.

Nervousness suddenly spread through my veins at the prospect of seeing Remus again. I had no idea what I was going to say, or what I was going to do. And all I knew about him was that he was a servant. I didn't know a thing about his personality. I had so many questions! Would he be courteous or rude? Would he be outgoing or shy? Would he be loud or quiet?

And then, the door opened.

Serena stood beside a very tired looking Remus with a bright smile plastered on her face. Remus was exactly the opposite. From his expression, I thought he was going to try and run away, but obviously that wasn't an option. Serena started pushing him forward, which caught my attention greatly because, Remus wasn't allowed to touch anyone, so wouldn't that mean no one was allowed to touch him?

"Now remember what I told you, Remus," she started. "There will be no 'Your Highness' nonsense. You will call me and my fiancé by our names. No questions asked! And don't act like you're our servant. Act like we're all equal here!" She shoved Remus down onto the sofa opposite of mine.

Now he looked more nervous than scared. "Um… hello…" He said, looking right at me. My heart fluttered around like a butterfly.

"Hello." I said back, smiling brightly. He blushed and folded his arms to his chest, turning his head to a window. I stared at him for maybe too long until I absolutely couldn't take it anymore. I had to ask. Even if I was yelled at, because I could tell it would drive me insane. "Why aren't you allowed to touch anyone?"

Remus' eyes widened and turned to look at me with fear, and Serena gasped, probably from surprise. "I… um… I'm sick." Remus explained, though I wasn't convinced.

"With what disease?" I continued.

"Um… doctors don't know, but… they fear it's contagious, so the King ordered me not to touch anything or anyone."

"But, of course, I think that's utterly ridiculous." Serena cut in. "So when my parents aren't around, Remus is treated like a normal person."

I nodded, interested immensely. "What about the people of the village?"

"They don't know I exist." Remus answered.

I wasn't believing any of it. It turns out, Remus is a terrible liar. So I kept pushing. "So where were you born, then?"

"My parents were servants of the castle. When I was born, my mother died shortly after birth and my father died of grief months later."

"But someone in the village _must_ know-"

"Sirius, love," Serena interrupted. "Maybe that's enough questions? This is a very touchy subject for Remus."

Unfortunately, I couldn't say no to the pleading look Remus was giving me, silently asking me to drop the conversation and move on to something else. "Fine." I gave in, and heard Remus and Serena both sigh in relief. After that, the atmosphere in the room became lighter, and the three of us talked until dawn. Though Remus was very quiet and only spoke when he was spoken to, I learned that he was eighteen like me, he was very skilled at sewing and making tea (I could already tell the latter, that tea he made earlier was delicious), but most importantly, I could tell that there was something strange going on with this 'disease' Remus had. I could feel the mysterious aura around him.

When we finally said our goodbyes and went our separate ways to go to bed, I was shown to my room by the servant that was called by the King when I had first arrived. As I climbed into bed, I remembered the conversation between Remus and me. I could still picture his shifting glances and nervous blushing perfectly. And that moment, I told myself that I would find out Remus' secret. Even if it was the last thing I did.

And only with that thought, did I drift into a troubled sleep.

**Author's Note: I'm already one third of the way finished with Chapter two, so you might not have to wait for very long. But then again, I'm also working on another story, but I'm trying to even out the workload. :) Anyway, hope you liked it!**

_**Review Please!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Yay! Finished with chapter 2! Sorry it took so long but it's finally here! Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it's character names, or any of it's contents (But I wish I did).**

_**Once Upon a Cursed Dream: Part 2**_

**-**Remus' P.O.V.-

I had been feeling very… strange lately. Ever since Serena took me to see Sirius in the sitting room a month ago, I felt uncomfortable being in the same room as him. It always seemed like he was… watching me. It sounded outlandish, but every time I would enter a room, and Sirius would happen to be in there, I would feel his eyes watching my every move. Like I was a book with smudged, ink words and he was desperately trying to read me. It was like he knew I lied to him that day. If so, I have to be extra careful and cautious tonight.

A month had passed since Sirius' arrival and the day I (and many other people of the castle) dreaded had finally come. The curse was to take effect on me tonight, and somehow I was to keep it secret from Sirius. The King had explained to me, rather rudely really, that the hired mage of the castle had been ordered to soundproof my room, so that the only place my screams would escape my tower was through the small window. Though, as the mage was doing that, my morning duty was to wake Sirius up and let him know that Serena wanted him gone for the day while planning her wedding dress.

Scared out of my own mind, I found myself standing in front of Sirius' chamber doors at about seven o' clock in the morning. With as much courage as possible, I pushed open the heavy doors and quietly entered the room. What I saw was Sirius sleeping on a rather large comforter with regal wooden bedposts and a canopy of curtains hanging around him. He looked so peaceful at that moment, I almost didn't want to wake him, afraid I might disturb his sweet dreams. But then again, I had to do it. I was ordered to.

But that got me thinking. How am I supposed to wake him up? What should I do? Should I shake him? Scream? Never mind. I'll just do it as formally as possible. He'll wake up, but he won't get too grumpy.

That's a good idea. So, I coughed. He didn't stir. I coughed again, this time a bit louder. "Your Highness?" I called timidly when he still didn't move. I narrowed my eyes slightly upon realizing that coughing was not going to rouse him. So, I poked him roughly in the shoulder, only to yank it back to my chest in fear. When I poked him, there was no cloth covering him.

"Ugh." Sirius sat up slowly, letting the bedsheets fall from him and reveal his bare chest to me. It took all I could to look away. "What is it?" he asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

I could barely even trust my voice at this point, but I had to answer. "Good morning, Your Highness." I said quietly as I stared down at my feet.

Sirius groaned and slid off the bed making me glance up at him, and I saw the muscles in his arms and back contract in just the perfect way. "Remus," he hid himself behind a changing screen and began to get dressed. "Please tell me you didn't wake me up early just to tell me good morning." I heard him sigh loudly. "And Serena's rule still applies, you know. Call me Sirius."

"I can't." I replied. "The King would have my head." I fingered my throat, as if I was already being sentenced to the guillotine.

Sirius' head popped out from behind the screen with a curious expression. "Why would he do that?" he asked. "You would just be following my orders." All I gave in response was a shrug of my shoulders. He sighed again and disappeared behind the screen once more. "Well then, why did you wake me so early, Remus?"

"The Princess requests that you leave the castle for the day while she makes plans for her wedding dress."

"What?" Sirius exclaimed, finally appearing from behind the screen completely dressed, a bit to my disappointment. "Why would I have to leave the castle for that?" I honestly didn't know why, so I just shrugged my shoulders again. He rolled his eyes at me and sat down on the edge of his bed staring into the distance. "What am I supposed to do for the day, then? Where do I go?"

He thought for a while and I had nothing to do but stand there like an idiot as he tried to plan out his day. But, obviously, he was having trouble with that. "Um… Your Highness?" I addressed. He nonchalantly turned his head in my direction. "Perhaps you could… you know… take a walk about the village? It looks like a fine day." I could only tell from Sirius' open window.

"Hmm…" Sirius sat for a moment more. And then said, "That sounds like a good idea, actually." I smiled proudly at that. "But, it would be rather boring to go alone…" he glanced at me. "Remus, you come along!" he suddenly said happily.

I felt my eyes pop out of their sockets. "What? I can't! I'm not allowed outside, let alone outside the castle walls!" I protested as best I could.

"I wasn't allowed outside when I was young, but that didn't stop me." He had the nerve to say it like it was common sense. "Come on, it'll be fun! We could probably both use the fresh air!"

"But-"

"Remus," his voice turned stern as he looked at me intensely. "You have to follow my orders, don't you?"

"B-b-but-"

"Wonderful!" he suddenly shouted, clapping his hands loudly together. "You and I will sneak out to the village and explore while Serena and her… friends I guess, help her get a wedding gown put together. It's a perfect way to spend the day."

I rushed to follow him out the door to his room, calling, "Wait! How am I going to sneak past the guards without being seen?"

"Relax, Remus, I have a plan!" Sirius abruptly stopped walking, forcing me to stop also, otherwise I would have bumped into him. Then he started leaning forward and my heart was beating a mile a minute. Once our lips were only inches apart, he whispered to me, "Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." causing shivers to run down my spine.

Suddenly, the feeling of Sirius' breath on my lips was no longer there, and I actually whimpered at the loss, only to turn a deep shade of red when he smirked back at me. He had obviously heard me. How embarrassing. But with a wink, Sirius was off again, and all I could do was follow him.

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

I stuck my head out the front door of the castle, studying the surroundings. The only things standing in my way were two guards blocking the front gate. Piece of cake. "Alright, Remus." I turned to the boy behind me who was peeking over my shoulder curiously. "You stay in here, and I'll come get you once I've gotten the guards to leave." Remus nodded, but I could tell he looked unsure.

With no hesitation, I marched right outside, down the stone path, and straight up to the big and bulgy armor-clad guards. Upon my arrival, they turned to me and bowed. "Good day, Your Highness." Guard number one said.

"What can we do for you, Your Highness?" Guard number two asked.

I resisted rolling my eyes at their formality. When living with people that treated you like this for almost eighteen years, it just got annoying. "I actually came to report something to you." The guards glanced at each other and turned back to me with raised eyebrows. It suddenly occurred to me that they might not like the idea of being bossed around by a Prince of some other kingdom. Thus, I decided I'd quickly change my wording to where it sounded like they wouldn't be serving me. "I was speaking with Serena earlier this morning, and she mentioned something to me about how, in the middle of the night, she heard a loud thump come from outside her window." The guards were now curious. With more confidence, I continued. "She said that the noise was so loud, she couldn't fall asleep for the rest of the night. A shame, really. A Princess should get her beauty sleep, yes?"

"Of course, Your Highness!" Guard number one said.

"Most definitely, Your Highness!" Guard number two agreed.

"Well then, you wouldn't mind going to check in the back garden for anything suspicious, would you? We wouldn't want Serena to have another sleepless night." Honestly, I didn't care if she got any sleep that night or not.

"Of course, Your Highness!" Guard number two said.

"Not at all, Your Highness!" Guard number one agreed.

"Good!" I waved them to the direction they were to leave. "Now, be on your merry way, and I shall tell my… _dear_" it took so much effort to say that. "Serena that the problem has been taken care of." I watched the guards bow and march off to the direction I pointed them in. I smiled to myself, thinking that all those years of lying to my parents had finally paid off. Once they had disappeared around the corner, I snuck back to the front door and poked my head inside. "Remus!" I whispered. He looked up at me from his seat on the floor. "Come, quick! Before they come back!" He stood from the ground and followed me outside, and the second his head was out the door, I heard him gasp.

"Everything is so beautiful." Remus sighed in awe. He was staring at the scenery like it was the first time he had ever seen it. Unless…

I slowly turned to him. "Remus," I began. "Have you… ever been outside?" I was fearing the answer.

Remus tenderly stepped forward, farther outside, not looking at me but answered altogether. "No. At least, not that I can remember." He finally looked at me. "I told you I'm not allowed to go outside."

I could only stare. How could someone live their entire life without ever going outside? It almost seemed impossible. I thought he had been lying before but, but I was wrong. Remus had told the sad truth. Though, I smiled down at him and said, "Well, I assure you it looks like a wonderful day. I'm sure you'll have a lovely time." To my delight, I saw Remus smile for the first time.

Together we made haste and went through the castle gate to the dirt pathway that led to the village. Remus was looking around him at the canopy of trees and bushes that surrounded us while I stared at him. I couldn't help but notice that, once in the sunlight, a sort of ethereal beauty fell upon Remus. It was different from the way he looked before. His fragile skin glowed in the sun and his golden eyes sparkled with happiness and joy, which I assumed didn't happen often. A large smile also formed on his face, lighting his features so brightly, I couldn't look away.

"Oh, look!" Remus suddenly exclaimed, gaining my attention. I followed his gaze and there before us, the trees broke off to reveal the village streets. Each side of the bustling road was lined with quaint cottages and small shops. Light grey smoke emanated from tiny brick chimneys and floated upward through the air to the crystal blue sky. The sound of villagers chatting and stepping their feet against the cobblestone-covered path made its way to my ears. Around the village center, marked, I could see, with a well resting in the middle of a rounded area, were a few wooden booths where shopkeepers sold their stock out on the streets, probably due to such a nice day.

I smiled brightly to myself. This village was always the sort of place I had wanted to grow up in. Here, everybody knew each other's name, and couldn't go without getting greeted in passing on the street. It was so unlike how I had been raised; neglected and ignored by my parents, who were always busy with some sort of royal businesses. It was very rare that I got to see them. And by the time my brother was born, I was seven years old and already mostly taking care of myself. And then, when I turned twelve, I started to rebel. I broke every single rule that restricted me. I snuck outside at night, I played pranks on the maids and servants, I purposely broke expensive relics and made it look like an accident. I even did little things! I chewed with my mouth open, reclined myself on couches, making sure my shoes made prints all over the fabric. But now that I turned eighteen and independent, I was free from all of that. I just wished none of it had happened in the first place.

"Ahem." I turned sharply to see Remus standing close to me, looking concerned. "Are you alright?" he asked timidly.

I laughed a bit at his nervousness and reached out to ruffle his hair, but upon seeing Remus flinch away, I pulled my hand back rather reluctantly, realizing my mistake. "I'm just fine, Remus. I was only thinking." I assured lightly, making Remus smile. "Now would you like to lead the way?" I asked, extending my hand in the village's direction.

Remus' cheeks colored a faint pink before saying, "Alright." And began walking ahead.

For once, I was glad to be in a foreign place. Here, people didn't know I was a Prince. They would treat me normally instead of bowing down every time I walked by them. It was just the way I always wanted it. But as Remus and I began walking past the first few houses, I noticed people were staring at us. Confused, I looked to Remus to see if he noticed also, but he was instead looking around with wide eyes and a smile on his face. I looked away from him, and though people still hadn't stopped going about their business, only a few weren't staring. Finally driven by curiosity, I followed their gazes and discovered that they were, in fact, staring directly at Remus as he bounced in his step while walking, completely oblivious.

Suddenly, Remus stopped, sniffing strongly in the air. "What are you doing, Remus?" I inquired.

Remus, for the first time, seemed to ignore me and turned his head sharply in another direction, inhaling deeply through the nose. "Oh, what is that lovely smell?" he exclaimed, looking around him.

I smelled the air myself and found that something did smell extremely delicious. The moment the aroma hit my nose, however, I could tell exactly what it was. "Remus." I said, earning the other boys' attention. "Perhaps it's that baker's stand over there?"I pointed out to him a booth filled with freshly-baked bread and pastries. Remus gasped with excitement.

"Oh, they look absolutely delightful!" he exclaimed, eyeing the snacks with gleeful eyes. "I bet they taste wonderful!" he sighed dreamily.

My eyebrows shot to my hairline. "Do you mean to say that you've never had fresh bread before?" I asked in amazement.

"Er…" Remus looked down to his feet. "Well, his Majesty only lets me eat whatever is left over from what the Cook made for him, and usually it's a bit cold so…" his voice trailed off. I felt a surge of hatred toward the so-called 'noble' King of Ravenclaw.

All of that was pushed aside, though, when I saw Remus gazing longingly at the Baker's booth. The hatred in my heart washed away and turned to pity for the poor servant boy standing next to me. "Remus." He turned to me. "Why don't you go over and buy something from him? I'm sure it doesn't cost much." I reassured.

"You think so?" Remus looked so terribly hopeful, I felt my heart melt down to water.

"Of course! It's only bread, it _can't_ cost too much."

Remus wasted no time to dawdle. He moved so quickly to the booth, it caught me by surprise and I had to run to catch up to the boy. I had to apologize to random villagers as I accidentally ran into them.

"Excuse me, sir." Remus called to the baker running the booth. "Is there anything you sell that costs three galleons?"

The baker, upon seeing Remus for the first time, gaped at him with bulging eyes. Getting tired of people staring, I rolled my eyes and coughed loudly, bringing the baker into reality. "Oh, terribly sorry." The baker apologized. "Um, what was it you asked, young man?"

Remus laughed a bit. I just scoffed. "I asked if you sold anything for three galleons." He kindly replied with a smile.

The baker seemed slightly faltered at this point. But he smiled sadly at Remus and said, "I am so sorry young man, but the lowest price on my products are five galleons."

My heart broke a little at the sudden change of expression on Remus' face. He looked horribly downtrodden. His smile faded to a frown and his golden eyes lost that little sparkle they had before. That dejected face made me want to hold him close and never let go. But I still couldn't touch him.

"Alright." Remus murmured sadly. "I guess I'll just go."

I was just about to offer to buy Remus something myself, but before I could, the baker interrupted. "But!" he exclaimed loud enough for Remus to turn back to him hopefully. "For such a beautiful young man like yourself, how about I let you have your pick of anything you'd like for free!"

My jaw dropped to the ground and Remus blushed intensely.

"Um…" Remus looked as if he lost all his nerve from that one sentence. "I wouldn't want to cause trouble-" he tried.

"Oh, no trouble at all. Don't worry about a thing!" the baker pushed on.

Remus turned to me, silently asking my permission. I sighed heavily and nodded my approval, causing him to smile brightly.

"Well, if you insist-" Remus told the baker.

"I do insist!" the baker replied enthusiastically.

"Hmm…" Remus looked carefully at all the goods before him, until he finally chose a small loaf of French Bread. The baker pulled out the biggest and best-looking one out of them all and handed it to him. Remus eyed the bread hungrily and broke off a small piece of the edge and placed it in his mouth.

The second he swallowed, he beamed and his eyes sparkled again. "This is delicious!" he exclaimed.

The baker smiled smugly. "I do only make delicious things." He said proudly.

When I heard Remus giggle, I decided I did not like this baker at all.

Finally, we began heading away from the baker stand as Remus ate his bread happily, and I turned back every now and then to scowl at the baker. Remus, thankfully, didn't seem to notice my grudge, and he offered me half of his loaf of bread. "It was your idea for me to buy some after all." He explained.

I shook my head and said, "It's the only fresh food you've ever had Remus. You should at least eat it all yourself." and continued walking, knowing Remus was standing still and confused. "Come, Remus. We should keep going."

When Remus finally caught up, I saw out of the corner of my eye, a young boy, maybe about seven years of age, sitting on the ground looking thoroughly miserable with his dirt-covered face and hands, ragged clothing, unruly black hair and broken glasses. I immediately recognized him as a beggar. For he had a small steel cup resting next to him, and a rag was draped over his shoulders like it was a blanket. Apparently, Remus had noticed him too. "Oh, my!" he exclaimed. "Whatever is wrong with that poor boy?" He sounded very concerned.

"I think he's just poor." I replied simply. "He probably has nothing to eat or nowhere to stay. Do you see that mug next to him?" He nodded. "He must use that to beg for money."

"So he's a beggar?" Remus asked weakly. I nodded in response. "That poor, sweet boy!" he lamented. "Is there anything I can do for him?"

I looked at him in shock. "Do you actually want to help him?" I asked. "No one I know has ever even considered talking to a beggar!"

"Well maybe he just needs someone to be kind to him, then!" And just like that, Remus was gone, toward the beggar with me following behind him. "Hello young man." I heard Remus say as he crouched next to the little boy. "What is your name, if I may ask?" I saw the boy shift away a bit.

"What's my name?" the boy repeated, as if making sure that was the question asked. When Remus nodded his head, he answered, "My name is… Harry."

I watched Remus smile down at him. "Well, Harry," he began. "What are you doing out here? You look rather upset."

Harry sniffed as if he was crying, but I couldn't tell if he was or not because his face was turned away from me. "My mommy is sick and my daddy and I can't afford any medicine for her."

The expression on Remus' face made it look as if his heart had just broken. He sat, staring at Harry, then turned to me with a question in his gaze. I shrugged, feeling sympathetic towards the boy myself. Remus then looked from me, to Harry, then back to me, then back to Harry and then to the bread he was holding. I couldn't believe what I saw next. "Harry," Remus began. "Is your family hungry?"

"Yes." Harry answered dejectedly.

"Well then here." Remus held out his bread to Harry. "This is all I have in the way of food, but it should do you well for the night." Harry and I both stared at Remus with admiration. Harry shyly extended his arms to take the bread and pull it close to his chest as he were afraid it would disappear. "And have this also." Remus pulled a long chain around his neck out from under his shirt. Attached to the chain, I saw a small red pouch tied at the opening with a yellow string. He gently pulled the string loose and allowing the tiny bag to fall open. I watched carefully as Remus flipped the bag over in his hand and three gold galleons fell out into his palm. He then placed the coins in Harry's open hand. "Buy what you can with this. It may not be much, but you'll find something useful to you that you can afford with it. I'm positive."

Harry's tiny hands closed around the galleons and looked up at Remus with wide eyes. Then, all of a sudden, he jumped up and hugged Remus tightly around the stomach. I stared at the two of them with shock, and Remus looked back at me with the same expression. But then, Remus slowly turned back to look down at Harry, smile, and hug him back.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Remus was hugging someone, _touching _someone, against the King's orders! I was instantly jealous. Of course, I knew it was ridiculous to be jealous of a seven-year-old beggar, but I couldn't control it. I wanted to touch Remus! I wanted to hold Remus close to me in my arms! But Remus would allow me to, and it was driving me crazy!

"Thank you mister." I heard Harry say. Remus' smile grew and he squeezed Harry tighter for a second before letting him go.

I stared at Remus with adoration as he stood and watched Harry run off. "You are amazing." I said in awe.

Remus immediately blushed and looked down at the ground. "I was only doing what I thought was right." He mumbled.

I couldn't help but stare longer. Remus was much different from other people I had met before. He was kind and courteous and I loved that he was so generous that he gave a beggar all his money so the boy could help his sick mother. I was about to speak my astonishment, when some strange man beat me to it.

"I saw you back there." The stranger said to Remus who jumped at the sudden interruption. "It was very kind of you." The man threw Remus a winning smile that caused the boy's blush to darken.

With narrowed eyes, I studied the man before us carefully. He had hazel eyes that were darkened with an emotion I couldn't sense. He also had dark brown hair that was about the length of Remus', but just a bit longer. It was neatly combed back and it looked like some kind of substance had been splashed into it to make it look shiny and nice, but it just came off as repulsive. But the man's features were nice, and he had a regal air about him, even if he was just a peasant. In a split second, I could tell what he was over here for, and I knew _he_ could be a man to be jealous of. And then I noticed the man hiding something behind his back and my eyes narrowed more.

"Oh," Remus mumbled. "I just thought it would be nice to help him."

"What is your name?"

"…Remus."

"Well, Remus," the stranger boldly reached toward Remus and, much to Sirius' offense, took Remus' right hand in his own, bowed forward a bit and laid a kiss on Remus' pale hand.

Remus flushed. I fumed.

"I couldn't help but notice," the stranger continued. "You are very lovely. Like a flower in bloom on a summer's day."

Remus giggled lightly making my fists clench tightly. "I don't know about that…" Remus said, his voice trailing off. Yet I noticed he did _not_ pull his hand away.

The stranger then finally noticed me glaring at him and he had the nerve to smirk! "Well I happen to think that you can match even the beauty of this rose." And it turned out that the thing hidden behind the man's back was a perfect red rose, with all of its petals intact and in exact position. No thorns at all could be seen on the stem. He handed the lovely flower to a surprised Remus, who took the rose and smelled the petals with a smile.

"It's gorgeous!" Remus told the man, holding the rose to his chest like Harry had done moments before with the bread.

The bastard sent another smirk in my direction. "As I said before, it's not as gorgeous as you, my dear." He kissed Remus' hand again, but this time his lips lingered longer than they should have, and Remus' cheeks were now the same color as the rose.

It then came to my attention that I liked this man just as much as I had liked the baker.

"Remus!" I said loudly, catching Remus and the strangers attention. "Don't you think we should keep moving?"I continued through clenched teeth.

Remus looked apologetic at me and then turned back to the stranger. "I'm sorry." He told the man. "But he's right. I really should be going." He made to step away, but the stranger apparently didn't like that. He tightened his hold on Remus' hand and pulled Remus into his arms.

I was ready to growl at this bastard like a dog.

"Oh, I'm sure you can stay a while longer." The stranger said. He then leaned forward to whisper in Remus' ear and I just barely make out what he said. "What say you and I spend some time together and pretty-boy here," he jerked his head in my direction. "can wander the streets alone."

I started growling.

Remus smiled kindly at the stranger, but lightly pushed himself away from the man's grasp. "You're kind." He explained. "But I don't think that would be such a good idea. Maybe some other time perhaps?" Remus turned to me next. "Let's keep going." And walked forward.

The stranger and I both watched Remus walk off with blank expressions. But I was the first to recover. I smirked devilishly and spun around to face the stranger who was glaring at me hard. "Well," I gloated. "looks like this pretty-boy," I pointed to myself. "has that pretty boy," I pointed to Remus' retreating figure. "all to himself." And with a wink, I strutted after Remus, leaving the stranger alone and angry. Just how I wanted it.

Once I finally reached Remus' side, my air of pride dissipated as I saw Remus staring lovingly at the rose while stroking the velvety petals with his slender fingers. "He was rather sweet, wasn't he?" he asked absently, not even looking up at me.

I looked at Remus with frightened eyes. Had he actually fallen for that pompous jerk? "Sweet?" I asked aloud, making Remus turn to me curiously. "Couldn't you tell what he was trying to do?"

"No." Remus said slowly. "What are you talking about?"

I sighed and stopped walking, making Remus stop as well. "Remus." I began. "Look at yourself. A boy with looks such as yours gets taken advantage of out in places like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Remus, you're small, you're shy, and you're too kind. Outside castle walls, people tend to see that as a vulnerability."

Remus still looked confused.

Another sigh escaped my lips. "Remus, being too kind is sometimes not a good thing. People will think you're going to let them do whatever they want with you."

Remus' eyes widened, and I could tell he finally understood. "Y-you… mean… you mean he-"

"Yes Remus." I nodded. "He was after your body and that was all he wanted. As would other random people who waltz to you and hand you flowers." I added bitterly. "You must be more careful." I started walking again, and Remus followed, slightly dragging behind with a frown.

"Alright." Remus said sadly, doing as he was before with the flower, except without a smile. "It's just that," he began. "no one has ever treated me like that before and… I don't know, I suppose I just thought that maybe he… maybe he really…" his voice faded.

"I know Remus." I consoled. I reached out to pat him on the shoulder, but remembered I wasn't allowed to touch him and dejectedly pulled my hand back to my side. "It's sad. But I'm just telling you this because I don't want to see you getting hurt."

Remus smiled sadly. "I understand. Thank you." He looked up at me with a real smile then, and I couldn't help but return it.

The two of us continued strolling down the streets aimlessly. Remus, now that I had cheered him up a bit, was back to admiring his flower, which I wished had never come from that perverted stranger. He had been wrong anyway. That rose couldn't even compare with Remus' beauty. Nothing could! Not even myself. Remus is so beautiful, how could anyone think he was only as pretty as a silly flower?

Ages seemed to pass as people smiled and waved at Remus and I when we walked by, before we reached the edge of the village, toward a large cluster of trees and bushes. Curious, I shoved through them, with Remus following close behind.

The sight of what was beyond almost made my breath stagger.

The thick mass of trees had opened to a bright, sunny clearing with luscious green grass and a thin river flowing through the pasture without a care. There were almost a million dandelions growing in the field and not a thing looked out of place. It was truly a work of art. Worthy of being painted and hung in a museum. Remus stepped past me into the pasture, with his mouth agape. He moved slowly, as if he were afraid he would disturb the serene peace and quiet. But I just thought it looked all the more beautiful with him in the picture. And then-

Remus laughed.

It wasn't like the quiet giggles I had only heard before. This time it was a genuine, full-on laugh that echoed through the trees and made the hidden birds flying about tweet and fly away. He sat himself down next to the babbling brook and fell flat on his back, making him laugh even more.

I failed to see the humor in anything, so I cautiously walked forward and rested myself next to Remus, who was slowly calming down from his laughing fit. "What's up with you, Remus?" I asked, laughing a bit myself. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing was funny." Remus was back to giggling. "It was more of a joyful laugh than anything." He explained. "It's just… I can't believe I've lived my entire life without seeing this!" he screamed again, back to his lovely laughing. "It's so beautiful!" He leaned forward and scooped some water out of the river into his hands and threw it in the air, making a light rain over the two of us. Soon, he calmed down again, and laid out on his back in the grass with his eyes closed. For a moment, I thought he was asleep, with one arm out to his side and the other arm holding the rose to his chest. I laid down beside him, looking at how his hair splayed out on the grass. Until Remus spoke aloud.

"Sirius." He said. I looked in awe. That was the first time Remus spoke my name, and hearing him say it spread a sort of warmth through my chest. I wanted to hear him say my name over and over again. It sounded so perfect flowing from his lips.

"Yes, Remus?" I replied.

Remus turned his head to me, opening his eyes. "Thank you for taking me here." He smiled.

I was so distracted by Remus and the way he looked in the shining sun, I could only smile goofily and say, "You're welcome." Before watching Remus' eyes drift closed again.

I couldn't control myself anymore. After seeing all those strangers touch Remus, I wanted it to be my turn! I just couldn't stand looking at Remus' dark eyelashes resting against his gently blushing cheeks. I reached forward, almost against my will, and plucked the rose from Remus' hand. When I saw no motion of objection from him, I firmly grasped the stem in both my hands and broke it in half. I then discarded the bottom half of the stem and kept the part with the rose. I reached forward again, though this time with the flower in my hand. Without any hint of hesitation, I tucked the rose in Remus' hair behind his ear, and instead of pulling my hand away, I slowly moved it down to Remus' cheek and stroked the blushing skin tenderly with my thumb. I felt fireworks go off in my chest.

Remus' eyes then fluttered open and stared at me with his wide, golden eyes. I stared back with no expression on my face. "Sirius," Remus said. "You can't touch me, I'm… ill." But he made no effort to move away from me. Instead, I felt him lean into the touch a bit.

"Why not?" I asked. "You let Harry hug you. You let that stranger kiss your hand." I said that last sentence with a bitter tone. "Why can I not touch you as well?"

Remus looked nervous now. "You're different… than them."

"How?"

You're staying at the castle! If the King saw you touching me, he would have my head as well as yours!" he sounded very concerned.

"Then he won't see me." I was unfazed by anything Remus was saying. "And if he wants my head for touching you, then he can very well have it!" Remus gasped. "As long as he wouldn't take yours."

Remus sighed and removed my hand from his cheek. "Why are you saying these things, Sirius." He asked. "We don't even know each other that well."

I would have replied, but I found I didn't have an answer. I didn't know why I felt these things toward Remus, but I just did. It was almost as if I had no choice but to feel this way about him. It just felt… natural. But pushing that aside, I reclined myself in the grass and watched the clouds float by leaving Remus' question unanswered.

And there they laid until day turned to evening and the sun was slowly setting and the moon would soon take it's place. We had been completely silent almost the whole time we sat in the field. But the serene peace was suddenly broken by a large and loud bell sound in the distance, that caused me and Remus to sit up abruptly in surprise. We turned toward the sound and listened to the bell ring exactly six times, indicating that it was six 'o'clock. I was relieved that was all, but Remus looked absolutely terrified. He stood up on visibly shaking legs and was soon shaking all over, even though it wasn't cold outside at all.

"Sirius…" Remus whispered harshly. "I have to go. Now!"

I stood as well, worried out of my mind. "Why?" I asked. "What's wrong, Remus? You don't look well." I moved toward him, but he instantly backed away.

"No Sirius, don't come near me!" His voice was strained now, and he was hugging himself like he was in pain. He started to back out of the clearing, wincing with every step he took.

"But Remus-"

"No! Sirius, whatever you do, don't come after me!" And Remus spun around and broke off into a sprint through the foliage of trees and bushes, leaving the beautiful rose to fall from his hair and down to the ground. I just stared at the spot Remus had stood in only moments ago. It was all I could do. I sighed heavily and sat back down with my face in my hands. As I looked back up at the sky, I could only ask myself what was wrong with me.

-Meanwhile at Slytherin Castle-

King Lucius, the blonde, long-haired King of Slytherin, glared into the crystal ball his hired mage, Bellatrix, was presenting to him. In the misty fog of the orb, he saw a young boy, two actually, walking down the street of Ravenclaw village. One boy had tawny-brown hair and seemed to be attracting much attention without realizing it, and the other boy had pitch black hair, whom King Lucius recognized as Prince Sirius of Gryffindor. In anger, he forcefully knocked the crystal ball out of Bellatrix's hands and down to the stone floor. "What is the meaning of this, Bella?" He hissed. "When I told you to curse that boy, you assured me that he would never be as good-looking as I!"

Bellatrix wiped the spit from her face and wild mane of black hair with distaste. "I told you nothing of the sort, Your Highness." She stated calmly with a sort of cackling voice, ignoring the way the King's face turned purple in rage. "I said no one would want anything to do with him. I told you people would hate him."

"No one but his parents seem to hate him!" King Lucius shouted, making Bellatrix stumble backwards. He roughly rose from his throne and stomped toward the window. Outside, in the moonlight, he could see how grey his Kingdom looked and he noticed people kneeling before the great statue of himself, worshiping and bowing down to it. "Everyone but his parents seem to love him! I don't understand! You told me the curse would work!"

Bellatrix came up next to him with a smirk etched on her face. "That may be true, but the Princess is the only one who knows of the curse and has accepted him for it. Don't worry, Your Majesty. Once everyone knows of his curse, they will be repulsed by his very existence." She explained slyly.

The King scoffed. "How long would it take for that damn Prince to find out? He only has three months left with him!"

Bellatrix's smirk turned slightly more vicious. "Do not fret, Your Majesty." She said, gazing at the full moon shining in through the window. "I have a simply wonderful plan."

"What is it?" The King asked, intrigued.

"Never you mind that, Your Highness. Just be satisfied with knowing that poor, innocent Remus will get what's coming to him tonight." She muttered words under her breath that the King could not hear and he saw that the moon seemed to glow brighter than before. "For now, we'll just give him the time of his life."

The two looked at each other and the King's smile soon matched Bella's as he began to laugh evilly into the dark throne room.

-Remus' P.O.V.-

My heart was pounding, my legs were aching, and the burning I felt in my chest was unbearable. I could already feel the tingling in my skin and my teeth and nails sharpening. I was crying. I was crying so hard, it me all the more.

I hadn't wanted to leave Sirius. I would have stayed all night in that field with him if it hadn't been for that cursed full moon! My day with Sirius had completely drawn my mind a blank about my curse. Never once had I forgotten about the full moon before, and definitely not because I was being distracted. On these days, I was barely given orders, so I could stay in my room until nighttime, in case of situations like this.

The wind was blowing hard around me, almost knocking me to the ground. As I ran, all I could think about was how I was going to get past the guards. The sprint took longer than I assumed it would take due to pain. Once I reached the castle walls, I was already biting my knuckles to keep from screaming. I was biting so hard, I could taste blood. Without any time to waste, I picked up a large rock and threw it into the castle gate, making it hit another rock and a loud noise was made. The guards called, "Who's there?" and began running to the sound, leaving me time to slip through the bars of the gate due to my small size. I ran through the giant double-doors into the throne room, thankful that it was dinnertime for the royal family so they wouldn't be there to see me. Without a pause, I kept running through the millions of hallways and stairways until I finally reached the stairs to my tower. I took the steps two at a time and when I reached the top, I slammed my door open and didn't even close it all the way before removing the fist from my mouth and started screaming as loudly as possible.

I fell to my knees on the hard-wood floor, hunched over in pain. I could suddenly hear my bones cracking and feel my skin tearing as hair began to take its place. It didn't take long for the pain to override me and it was all I could feel.

And even though it was a very common routine, I could tell that this night was going to be worse than usual.

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

I trudged back down the now empty path of Ravenclaw village toward the castle, holding Remus' rose in one hand, while the other hand was running through my hair. I couldn't stop worrying about Remus. Was he alright? What had caused him to run away like that? Was he afraid because I had touched him?

Off in the distance, in the direction I was heading actually, I heard a wolf howl loudly, though it wasn't a howl of anger. It was more a howl of longing, like it was sad or upset or even calling for someone it couldn't reach. I frowned, thinking that the poor thing must be in pain.

But my attention was drawn away from the howling when another loud bell rang, signaling that it had become seven 'o' clock. I sighed and continued walking, with my goal loud and clear.

Make sure Remus is alright.

-Serena's P.O.V.-

I walked calmly from the dining room with my mind wandering. For days, I had been imagining various scenarios in which Sirius and I were wedded under a brightly colored wedding arch covered in flowers. The aisle would be drenched in pink rose petals and everything else was white. Sirius would be wearing a perfectly fitting black suit with a warm smile on his face as he looked at me from the altar. I pictured myself gliding down the aisle in a gorgeous white wedding dress. It was slightly thinner at the waist and dropped smoothly, pooling down on the white carpeted walkway. Behind me, Remus would be lifting the long train of the dress from the ground, as it would be his duty in the actual wedding. He would also be wearing a suit similar to Sirius' except white. I knew that his presence there would make me feel less nervous. When I would reach the altar, I would straighten my back just a bit more and smile lovingly at Sirius, who gave an almost unnoticeable bow. He would take his hands in mine and the priest would start speaking. When he finished, Sirius would lean down and kiss me as everyone in the room applauded us and happily threw flower petals in the air.

"Serena!"

A sudden call of my name ripped me out of my daydream. I found myself in the Throne Room, most likely due to my aimless wandering. But I saw, to my delight, my fiancé, Sirius, approach me from the large front doors of the castle.

"Oh, there you are my love!" I exclaimed and ran up to him with a beaming smile. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you all day!" I added as I hugged him tightly.

He pushed me away a bit to show me his confused face. "I was told you wanted me gone while you planned a wedding dress." He stated.

"I did! But not all day!" I hugged him again. "I missed you."

Sirius, for some reason, did not return my embrace. Instead, he patted me on the back a bit hesitantly. "Listen," he said, pushing me away again. "have you seen Remus?"

My eyes grew wide. Why did Sirius need to see Remus? The curse was already in effect! I laughed a bit nervously and said "Remus? Oh, I'm afraid not. Haven't seen him all day." I wasn't technically lying. I really hadn't seen Remus at all. I had gone up to his room to check on him, but he hadn't been there. And anywhere else I looked for him, he hadn't been there either. "Why do you need to see Remus?" I continued rambling. "Do you need him to do something for you? I can get one of the other servants to-"

"It was nothing." Sirius exclaimed. "I just… wanted to ask him something, but I guess it…doesn't matter now."

"Oh." I visibly calmed myself at once. "Well, then I guess-" I stopped myself mid-sentence when I saw an object in Sirius' hand. Instantly curious, I asked, "What is that Sirius?"

"Oh this?" Sirius' eyes shifted from the rose in his hand to me. "I uh… got it… for you!" he laughed and handed over the flower to me.

I squealed and took the rose, taking it to my nose without hesitation. "It's lovely, Sirius!" I looked at him graciously. "I'll find a vase to put it in straight away! I shall put it right next my bed so that every time I look at it, I can think of you."

I could've sworn I saw Sirius wince.

"That's… fine and all, but you're sure you haven't seen Remus?" He pleaded.

"No." I lied. "I have no idea where he is."

"Alright." He looked disappointed. "I guess I'm going to turn in for the night, then." He turned away from me and walked to his room.

"Good night, my love!" I called to him as he retreated, but he didn't reply. I watched him stalk off down the hall until he turned a corner and vanished from my sight. I then drifted my attention back to Sirius' rose, and I smiled at the thought of having it sewed onto my wedding dress instead of wasting away in a vase. And with that thought in mind, I turned on my heels and walked to my room with the beautiful red rose in my hand.

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

I climbed into bed that night with thoughts of Remus in my head. I was worried out of my mind. If Serena hadn't seen him, where could he possibly have gone? And why was Serena acting so strangely when I asked her if she'd seen him? I groaned as I dropped my head to the fluffy white pillows of my bed. This mystery was starting to get on my nerves. I was so curious and intrigued, I felt that I needed to know what was going on. Why would this family try to keep anything from me anyway? If I'm marrying their daughter, then surely I would find out what was being hidden at some point! They couldn't keep it a secret for long. I would find out.

But as I drifted to sleep, the only thing on my mind was hope for Remus' safety.

**Author's Note: This chapter was actually supposed to be merged with Chapter 3 but it turned out to be too long, so I had to split them up. But other than that, I hope you enjoyed chapter 2 and I hope it was worth the wait!**

**_Review Please!_  
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	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Hello again! Thank you for sticking around long enough to read this chapter! Again, so sorry for the wait! I'm really booked this summer! But I got two chapters out of the way in one day so points for me, right? :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't Harry Potter. How many times must I repeat this?**

**_Once Upon a Cursed Dream: Part 3_  
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-Remus' P.O.V.-

I felt lifeless.

My limbs were numb and scarred. My chest was torn apart. I could even feel a large gash on my throat. The life in me was being slowly sucked away as my blood dripped freely on the floor around me. Everything was black, I couldn't open my eyes. I couldn't move. I might as well have been picked up and thrown in a coffin. But just the thought of dying in my godforsaken tower made me even sicker to my stomach. Even though I knew in my heart, I was destined to die there.

I barely heard a door open. "Remus?" A female voice asked. I couldn't make out who it was. She sounded kind enough, but I wasn't sure. "Remus, can you speak?" She sounded frantic now. "Oh, Remus, you look torn to shreds! Last night must have been terrible!" Last night? How would she have known about last night? Who was she? Suddenly I felt a cold wetness on me and I panicked. I tried to struggle, but I could just barely move. The cold stung my wound so horribly, I needed to get away. But the woman must have grabbed my shoulders to keep me from moving. "Remus, calm down! It's me, Serena!" she exclaimed.

I stopped trying to move. It was only Serena who was touching me. I had nothing to worry about. She talked softly and soothed my aching bones as she washed the blood from my wounds and wrapped them in gauze. Soon, after my hot chocolate, I was put to bed where I couldn't even curl up under the blankets because they had been torn apart.

Serena must have gotten me a new blanket though, because once my head hit the pillow, I felt warmth come over me in the form of a big, fluffy quilt. "You're going to need more than one day of rest, that's for sure." Serena said. "Can you even open your eyes, Remus?" I tried, but my eyelids seemed so heavy I could only open them halfway. "Oh, you poor thing!" I winced my eyes back shut as she hugged me. "I'll give you as long as you need to recover, alright? Don't even _think_ about getting out of that bed until you are better!" She added sternly. She leaned down to give me a kiss on the head. "I'll be back to check on you soon. For now, you should just sleep." She crossed the room to the door, and I barely made out a "Good night," and the closing of the door before fell into a deep sleep.

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

I couldn't find Remus anywhere! When I had woken up in the morning after a restless night, I had dressed instantly and began searching for Remus everywhere. I looked in the kitchens, the gardens, the Throne Room, and even the dungeons. I had been trying all morning, but there was no Remus to be found. Finally, I resorted to wandering down random hallways and peeking in any room I saw. After about an hour of that, I was on the verge of giving up. Until I found a winding staircase I had never seen before.

Now I was no idiot. I knew the stairs looked a bit suspicious, but if I climbed them and was led to Remus, then it would be worth it. With no hesitation, I stepped on the very first step and it creaked ominously. It was then that I noticed these stairs were made of wood, instead of marble like every other stairway in the castle. And on top of that, I thought it odd that I even found stairs on what I thought was the highest floor of the castle. And when I had found them, it was almost as if they had been positioned to be hidden from view. I cautiously continued upward, paying no mind to the creaks and tweaks of the old wood. When I reached the top, I found myself on a small landing, and I was standing face to face with a small wooden door.

I reached forward and opened it. But part of wishes I never had.

The room looked as if a massacre had occurred in it. Red liquid dripped from all different places, down to the already wet floor. I could only assume it was blood. There were red stains everywhere. The bookshelf, the walls, and even the door I had just come through. Things were torn. Curtains, the rug, paper from books, and clothes that were scattered about the room. I then noticed a bed next to the window on the opposite side of the room. Curiously, I walked to it, fearing what lay behind the shredded curtains. But when I ripped the curtains back, I saw nothing but a pile of blankets.

Upon looking closer, however, I could see the blankets were moving. They were rising up and down slowly as if they, or something beneath them, were breathing. And of course, being the brave man I was, I lifted the blankets out of the way a bit to see a small pale face.

The face of Remus.

I was even more horrified. He looked like he had been beaten. There were scratches on his face, and dried blood was smeared round them. I glanced lower and saw that there was gauze wrapped around his neck and a section of it was stained red.

I dropped to my knees before the sleeping Remus and covered my face with my hands. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't stand it. Something had hurt Remus horribly and I wanted to know who. I reached out and lightly touched Remus' face, running a finger along a scratch across his pale cheek. I hated that I would probably never know what made it.

My fists clenched tightly, but I softly rested my forehead on his. "I will find out what's going on." I said aloud. "Whether you like it or not. Because anything or anyone that hurts you, Remus, has to go through me next."

And without thinking, I leaned forward just a bit and gently kissed Remus' cheek, stood, and reluctantly left the room.

-Remus' P.O.V.-

After few days of rest and healing, I was back to my usual self, thanks to the Princess. The only thing remaining of that month's moon was a few light scars here and there, that I tried desperately to keep hidden.

As of now, I was walking down the hallway to the Princess' room with my sewing basket in hand. For some reason, Serena had called for me to do a special task. So, I continued forward, strolling through the silent, peaceful hall, smiling to myself. The feeling of moving again after not doing so for very long was a good one.

Suddenly, a call of "Remus!" reverberated through the hallway and I froze. I looked over my shoulder to see Sirius' surprised figure standing at the other end of the hallway. I sighed, turned fully around to face him and gave him a smile.

"Hello, Sirius." I greeted softly.

Sirius apparently didn't want to waste any time with greetings though. He sprinted toward me and pulled me into an embrace so sudden, I dropped my basket to the floor, making all the contents spill out. "I thought you were halfway dead."Sirius whispered, squeezing me tighter.

"Sirius." I pushed the words from my crushed lungs. "I would reply, but I can barely breath." Sirius finally let me go and let me catch my breath. "Thank you." I said. "Now what were you saying?"

"What happened to you that night?" Sirius responded, sounding terribly concerned.

My eyes grew wide as I hastened to think of an answer to tell him. "Oh, that? I'm so sorry about that. It was just… I… wasn't feeling well. You know, with the illness and all." I finally stuttered out.

"But when I saw you in your room, you-"

"What?" I gasped loudly. "My room? How did you find it? Why did you go in? You didn't see anything did you? Oh, who am I kidding, of course you saw something! What did you see?" I rambled, outright terrified to hear any answers.

"Well," Sirius said, looking guilty. "I was looking for you after you ran off that night but I couldn't find you. So, the next morning, I went searching for you again and while I was doing that, I found the stairs to your room, and…" he trailed away from his sentence. He didn't need to finish it for me to know what happened next anyway.

I sighed heavily, completely devastated, and crouched down to the ground to pick up my sewing supplies that had fallen from my basket during the hug. I sighed a second time when Sirius crouched next to me to help. As we were cleaning, though, we both reached for the same needle on the floor and it ended up with Sirius' hand on top of mine. I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks, and I ripped my hand away, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. I quickly packed everything in the basket myself and gathered it in my hands, standing up as I did so. "I told you not to look for me." I said solemnly.

"Well, could I help it if I was worried?" Sirius exclaimed, suddenly sounding angry. "You can't just run off on me like that and expect me to take it carelessly! I-"

"Sirius," I whispered. "Please just don't speak of it. I really can't bear it right now. Please." I was close to tears now as I looked to Sirius with pleading eyes.

I could see the anger in Sirius' deep blue eyes die down and he said, "Fine. I won't question you anymore."

"Thank you!" I breathed a sigh of relief. "I have to go see the Princess now, though, so I suppose we'll have to continue this sometime later." I smiled at him in goodbye and began walking away. Once halfway down the hall, however, I heard Sirius shout.

"Remus!" I turned to see that Sirius hadn't moved a bit from where he had been standing before. "Would you like to go to town with me again today?" he asked.

I was surprised, to say the least. "But, I thought that was only a one time sort of thing." I called back after a moment.

"Well, we had fun before, so… I thought it would be a nice idea."

I felt a warmth spread through me and a smile grew on my face before I could stop it. "I would love to!" I exclaimed.

"Wonderful!" Sirius seemed excited as well. "Can we meet again after you're finished with the Princess?"

"Of course!" I replied. "I'll see you then! Goodbye!" I waved and began walking back to the Princess' room as Sirius went his own way. The smile on my face wouldn't go away as I made my way to the Princess' room. The thought of going back to the village with Sirius put me in a rather nice mood and I smiled as I approached Serena's chamber doors and knocked gently.

"Come in!" Serena called from the inside. I pushed open the doors to see Serena standing in front of a mirror wearing the most beautiful dress I had ever seen her wear. It was white, thin, long and form-fitting, pooling down to the floor around her. The sleeves rested on her arms, past her shoulders, and along the waistline was a white belt tied around in a ribbon on her back.

My smile grew wider as I looked at her. "Wow, Princess." I said aloud. "You look beautiful!"

Serena turned to me sharply, but smiled back when she recognized me. "There you are! Whatever took you so long?" She asked me kindly.

My eyes grew wide. "I uh… dropped my things on the way over here." It wasn't technically a lie. I had dropped my basket. Just not for the reason Serena probably suspected.

Serena giggled, shaking her head side to side. "You always were a bit clumsy." She said turning back to the mirror. "Can you come here, Remus?" I stepped up behind her, though still a few feet away. "I called you here because I want you," She reached to her dresser grabbing hold of an object I couldn't really make out what it was. "to sew this to my dress." She then placed the object in my waiting hands and turned back to her reflection in the mirror, admiring the curls in her hair.

I stared wide-eyed at the object in my hand, not moving for a second. It was a red rose. The petals were perfectly placed and colored the deepest red imaginable. I didn't know how, but I recognized it. It was the rose Sirius had placed in my hair that wonderful day in the field. "W-Where…" I stuttered out. "Where did you get this?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"Sirius gave it to me."

My heart shattered. The rose that drove Sirius to touch me for the first time, such a special moment to me, had been given away to the Princess. By Sirius himself. I was confused. Why would Sirius give away something that meant so much to us? No. It only meant something to me, not him. I lightly touched the velvet petals. What had I been thinking? Sirius loved her. He loved his fiancé, just as he was supposed to. He didn't love me. I felt a tear slid down my cheek and it silently dropped down onto a red petal.

"Isn't he the sweetest?" Serena sighed happily.

With shiny eyes, I replied with a shaky, unstable voice, "Yes, he… he's the sweetest…"

Serena turned to look at me with concern laced in her eyes. "Remus?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I lied and shook my head, trying my best to fight off the tears that would soon start flowing. "I'm just… not feeling well. I- I think I need to lay down."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you tried to recover too quickly." A sad smile spread across her face. "Do you think you can make it back to your room alright?"

"Yes, goodbye!" I said, a bit more bitter than I had intended it to come out. I stood and ran from the room, taking the rose with me, not wanting it to ever be in someone else's hands again. I ran as fast as I could, through the hallways, up stairs, and into doors, desperately wanting to hide myself away in my tower, but on the way there, I ran into Sirius.

"Remus!" He called after me, but I just kept running. I ran until I finally reached the wooden stairs and slammed the door behind me, regretting the fact that it locked from the outside. I instantly threw myself on my bed across the room and burst into tears.

It was not a good day for me.

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

The minute Remus ran past me crying, I called his name and began chasing after him. I didn't stop running, though, until I reached his room. With determination, I climbed the stairs after him and soflty knocked on his door. "Remus?" I called. There was no answer. I sighed and knocked again, this time louder. "Remus, I know you're in there. Can I come in?"

"I would rather you didn't!" Came Remus' choked voice.

I sighed a second time. "Well, I'm coming in anyway." I turned the doorknob and walked in, ignoring the red stains all over the room. I found myself unable to focus on anything but Remus. He was laying on his stomach in his bed with his head buried under the pillow. And even though it was muffled, I could still hear his sobs and it broke my heart. "Remus, what's wrong with you?" I asked, worried.

"Nothing!" His head didn't lift from the pillow. "I'm perfectly fine! And I would highly appreciate it if you would please leave!"

I sat down on the edge of the bed and grabbed the pillow from him, uncovering the back of his head. "Remus, if nothing was wrong you wouldn't be crying." I pointed out.

"I'm not crying!" Remus retaliated, stealing the pillow back from me and hiding his face in it.

"Oh really? Then what _are_ you doing?"

A minute passed and then Remus cried harder and screamed, "Crying!"

I sighed for the third time that day and rested a hand on his back, rubbing gently hoping it would somehow calm him down. "Remus, please just tell me what is wrong with you." I persisted. "I don't like to see you cry."

Remus' sobs slowed down to shallow breathing, panting, and sniffles. He finally lifted himself from the pillow and looked at me with his golden, red-rimmed and puffy eyes. "You don't?" he asked weakly with a crack in his voice.

"Of course not!" I stated, thinking it obvious. "Now come on. Please talk to me."

Remus bowed his head. "I don't want to. At least… not now." He said. "Maybe later, but not anytime today."

I was about to consent to his wishes, but then I saw it. There on the bed next to Remus, was the rose I had placed in his hair days ago. I instantly knew Remus' crying had something to do with it, but I didn't want to question him about it any further. I didn't know how he even ended up with it, but I was glad that he did, because it was rightfully his. But something about it must have caused Remus to cry, and I felt that I needed to know what. But I pushed it aside and said, "Alright, fine. Not today. Just whenever you're ready to talk about it."

"Thank you." Remus said as I made my way back to the door. "Oh, and Sirius?" I turned around again, surprised that he was calling me back. I was even more surprised to see the hint of a smile on Remus' face. "I'll meet you at the front doors soon."

A beaming smile grew on my face. "Brilliant!" I exclaimed, a bit loudly. "I'll see you then!"

-Remus' P.O.V.-

Sirius and I were out of the front gate in no time. It had actually proved to be quite easy to sneak past the guards. They appeared to believe anything Sirius told them. It was quite humorous to see them stumble about to fulfill Sirius' orders.

Once again as we walked down the path to the village together, I couldn't help but look at and touch everything I could. I ran my hands along the bark of the trees and the smooth surface of the leaves on bushes, admiring the feeling of it under my fingers. I still couldn't get over the fact that I had lived my whole life indoors and never stepped a foot outside. It was unbelievable! Being outside, I felt as if a piece of me had been clicked into place. But there was still something missing. I could feel it.

But suddenly, we reached the cobblestone walkway that served as the streets of the village. I sighed happily and closed my eyes, taking in the sound of horses clip-clopping through town, people's conversations, and breathing in the scent of that delicious baked bread.

Then, my eyes snapped open when I felt something touch me. It was Sirius. He was wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close to him. "W-what are you doing?" I asked, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

Sirius looked down at me determinedly. "Do you remember what that stranger tried to do to you last time we came here?" I nodded. "Well, I don't want that to happen again. People are less likely to approach you if they think you're taken." He then smiled warmly, making my knees shake a bit. "Just act normal, and people will believe it."

So we continued walking, and my heart was beating a mile a minute. Sirius' hand was but a light weight on my hip, but I desperately wanted it to stay there forever and never let go. It made me feel tingly inside and I wanted to feel that way forever.

When we were finally in the streets, I noticed a lot of people started staring at us. I, in turn, stared down at my shoes as Sirius pulled me closer to him. I always hated being the center of attention. I didn't like the way I could feel people's eyes on me. I would much rather stay hidden in the shadows keeping to myself like I always did. But I suppose there was I nothing I could do about it then.

"Oi!" Sirius suddenly called out. "Can't you people stop staring at him for maybe five seconds?"

The people quickly went back to their own business and acted as if we didn't exist .I looked up at Sirius, who was staring ahead of us as we walked. I then moved my gaze to the villagers. Everyone was familiar from my last visit. There weren't a lot of people who lived in the village, so even if I hadn't talked to them, I still recognized their faces.

It seemed like we walked for hours until we reached the forest clearing where we were last time. I couldn't help but smile. The clearing was so bright and sunny and beautiful, it felt like I belonged there. Not in that dark, bloody tower, but out here in the lit, grassy field of dandelions. I sighed happily and sat next to the gently flowing river. Sirius came up beside me and sat as well.

"Did you know," he suddenly said, catching my attention. "that if you make a wish and blow all the little fluffs off of a dandelion, your wish will come true?"

I looked at him curiously and then down at a dandelion next to me. "But," I picked it up from the ground and studied it. "the little fluffs are all a dandelion has. If they were gone it would be… dull." I explained.

It was Sirius' turn to be curious. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the little fluffs are what makes a dandelion a dandelion. If I were to blow them all off, it would be nothing."

"Remus, I'm fairly sure dandelions don't have feelings or anything, if that's what you're afraid of."

I shook my head. "It's not. I know it doesn't have feelings. But it does have a life. Everything does. The flowers, those trees and these dandelions. Ridding them of the their fluffs would be like taking away the only…" I looked up at Sirius. "good thing… in their life…" I stared into Sirius' deep blue eyes and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"Remus," Sirius laid a hand on top of mine, the one that was holding the dandelion. He lifted it upward to where it was the only thing separating our faces. "You are right. Everything has a life. But everything also has a purpose. And this dandelions purpose is to bring happiness to the most unfortunate of people." He removed his hand and I remained holding the dandelion alone. "So Remus, I think you should make that wish." He smiled.

I stared at the dandelion intently, thinking about what Sirius had said. It was impossible not to believe him. He was absolutely right. I prepared myself, closed my eyes, sucked in a deep breath, recited my wish in my mind, and blew as hard as I could. When I opened my eyes, all the fluffs were floating away in the wind. As I watched them, I wished one last time, to be sure it would work.

I wished I had nothing to hide from Sirius anymore.

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

The rain was pouring down hard and fast. I could hear it beating against the glass of the window next to my bed. Obviously, Remus and I couldn't go outside today until the rain cleared up, but it didn't look like it would anytime soon. It was very upsetting.

Another month had passed since I arrived and I was growing so used to having Remus around. He was so smart and kind, I felt like I never wanted to separate from him. But right now, I was alone in my room staring out the rain-splattered window thinking about why I hadn't seen Remus yet that day.

A knocking at the door made me turn sharply from the window. "Come in!" I called loudly, hope rising in my chest that it was Remus at the door.

"Your Highness," My hope deflated at the sight of a female servant I didn't know poke her head in the doorway. "It's time for your fitting, if you would follow me, please."

I sighed heavily and stood from my window seat, walking toward her. I knew what she was talking about of course. She was talking about me getting fitted for my wedding attire. I was absolutely dreading it though. It just reminded me that I had only a few weeks left before I was married, which just put me in a bad mood.

The servant, whom, I learned, was named Marie, lead me to a bright, white-colored room where the walls were lined with hanging cloths and desks covered in sewing supplies. In the corner of the room, there was a large clothes rack filled with different types of dresses. I also noticed that there were no windows in the room, and that many other servant women were there, probably expecting me.

"There you are, Marie!" A stern looking woman walked briskly toward us with her hands on her hips. "What took you so long?" Before Marie could say anything, the woman rolled her eyes. "Never mind that! You'll explain later." She turned to me and curtsied. "If you would step up on the stool just over there, Your Highness." She outstretched a hand toward a stool in the center of the room. I shrugged and stepped up on it. Immediately, the women in the room crowded around me, taking measurements of my upper and lower body; my arms, legs, chest, waist, and neck were all measured thoroughly. After they were done, they bustled to the clothes rack, looking for something. One woman returned to me, carrying two white shirts in her arms.

"We couldn't find any shirts that were exactly your size, so we just found two that might fit you alright." She handed the first one to me, and I eyed it for a moment. It looked positively _huge_. I raised an eyebrow at it, but took it anyway and replaced the shirt I was already wearing. As I expected, the shirt was much too big. I then tried on the second one, and it was so small, I couldn't even button it up.

The servant called over Marie, and the two started talking. "I don't see the big deal, all we have to do is loosen a few seams." Marie explained.

"Yes, but you know who's the only person that can get the altering correct, don't you?"

The two women suddenly looked at me, concerned. I stared back at them suspiciously. They turned back to each other and nodded sharply, then broke off, one going back to the sewing table and the other leaving through the doors. I waited for someone to tell me I could at least get off the stool, but no one did. So I stood there for about ten to fifteen minutes before the doors reopened and Marie entered with Remus following behind.

I cheered up instantly. "Remus!" I smiled at him, but he ignored me and went directly to a sewing table, gathering needles, thread, and other tools. I stared at him curiously as the women left the room at his presence, saying something about the Princess.

Once the doors closed, Remus turned to me with a smile, which disappeared as I saw his eyes drift down to my shirt, which was showing off a bit of my chest. I saw a glimpse of his blush before he turned his head again, back to the desk. Then, after he got everything together, he finally walked toward me with a basket of his supplies in hand. The second he set the basket on the floor next to me however, he was in my arms as I pulled him into a hug.

"Why didn't I see you this morning, Remus?" I asked him softly, feeling my stomach do cartwheels when Remus hugged me back.

It didn't last long though. After a short moment, Remus let me go and moved me back to the stool. "I slept in today. I was very tired." He replied, kneeling down to rummage through his basket.

"Oh really?" I asked jokingly. "The King wouldn't have your head for _that_?"

Remus laughed and shook his head. "Not today, he wouldn't."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Why would today be different from any other day?" I asked.

Remus smiled sadly and looked up at me through his long, dark eyelashes. "You don't need to worry about that." He then stood up and studied the shirt I was wearing. "Now, what exactly is the problem with this shirt?"

"It's really small. The girls said something about loosening the seams." I explained.

Another laugh escaped Remus' perfect lips. "They told me that, Sirius. What I need to know is how much I need to loosen them."

I shrugged. "Don't ask me. I have no idea."

Remus smiled and got to work. He was down on his knees, concentrating fully on his task. His eyes narrowed in observation, and I watched as his delicate hands worked magic on the seams. It was unbearable. Having his slender fingers so close to me, I wanted to feel them on my skin, not through the cloth of a shirt. What made it worse was he was working agonizingly slow. I stood there for what felt like hours of torture before he was done.

"There you are!" he exclaimed, popping up off the ground. "It's not perfect, but you can try buttoning it now."

I reached for the buttons and noticed that Remus had turned his face away from me with a red tinge in his cheeks. I buttoned up to the very top button and marveled at how well it fit compared to before. "It fits just right." I told him. He smiled brightly at me.

"Are you positive?" he asked, laying my arms back down to my side and examining the shirt. "It's not too tight anymore? It's not too loose?"

"No, it's perfect!" We shared a smile and then Remus took his things back to his desk. After he placed the basket back on the desk, he headed to a clothes rack across the room, picked something out of it, and then took it to me. I looked at them and I realized they were the slacks and jacket that completed my suit.

"Go on." Remus said to me. "Try it on!"

I sighed heavily and ignored Remus' laughter as I went behind a changing screen, reemerging fully clothed in my suit. "So," I started. "how does it look?"

Remus seemed to be incapable of speech for some reason. He stood there staring at me with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. He reminded me of a fish. But only a little bit, because Remus was definitely prettier than a fish. "Um…" he began stuttering. "It-uh… it looks… _really_, really good." He smiled widely.

"Are you sure you're not lying?" I asked him teasingly. "You sound like you are." I laughed.

Remus laughed along. "No, I wasn't lying! You look… absolutely fantastic." He was looking at me with such awe and adoration in his eyes, I couldn't help but smile back at him. We stood there with my blue eyes staring into his bright gold ones. Time had stopped ticking away. I was amazed at much one person's gaze could possibly make me feel. Until-

"Sirius!"

The doors burst open to reveal Princess Serena wearing a sparkly purple dress with her hair pulled back in a long braid. She was smiling the biggest smile I had ever seen on a person before. And though it was a nice smile, it didn't bring tingles to my insides like Remus' warm, kind smile did.

"Oh my, you look so handsome!" She continued, making her way toward me very excitedly. "I can't wait until the wedding day!" She hugged me tightly , but I was too busy watching Remus' sad expression staring at the floor to hug her back.

"Why?" I asked, wishing she would just let go of me.

"Because!" She surprisingly did let go, but only so she could kiss me instead. I felt sick. "I love you, and I can't sit still at the thought of us spending our lives together!" She suddenly spun me around, getting a full look at my outfit. "It does look stunning on you, Sirius. Remus, did you make it fit him this well?" She asked, making Remus look up in surprise.

Then, he smiled and said, "Yes, I did."

"Well, I _must _congratulate you on a job well done!" She exclaimed. "But are you sure you're feeling alright? You really shouldn't be up and around today." She sounded worried now.

I glanced at Remus curiously, but he didn't notice. Instead, he shrugged and smiled. "I suppose it wasn't the best idea to get up. I am feeling a bit light-headed."

"Well then why don't you go back to your room and rest?" Serena suggested. "I think we're done with the fittings for today."

"Alright then." Remus turned and walked to the door, much to my disappointment. But before he left, he turned back to me and pierced my heart with his golden eyes. "Goodbye, Sirius."

The door closed. There was silence.

Serena and I both stared at the door with wide eyes. She glanced at me and then back at the door. Then she finally spoke. "Well," She sounded put off. "It's at least good to know he's getting used to you."

I was too wrapped up in my happy thoughts of Remus to care.

-Meanwhile at Slytherin Castle-

King Lucius stood at his large, rain-stained window, glaring out at the grey, slightly dilapidated houses lined along the village streets. "How much longer must we wait, Bellatrix?" he asked coldly. "I'm running out of patience."

"Well then you're in luck." Bellatrix replied from across the room, swirling around the fog in her crystal ball. "Tonight is the night my plan unfurls."

King Lucius whipped around to face her, ignoring the loud crack of thunder from outside. "What _is_ this plan of yours, Bella? You have yet to explain!" He demanded.

Bellatrix smirked and looked him right in the eye. "Once the moon is out, you shall see." She glanced back out the window and noticed a silvery light appearing through the stormclouds. "And it looks like you won't have to wait long." She ran her hand over the crystal ball and motioned for the King to come closer and look into it. He did.

The crystal ball showed Remus walking down a long corridor, hugging himself as if he was cold. He was facing the ground, but every now and then he would glance behind him, like he was afraid he was being watched. Suddenly Sirius came into the picture, walking toward Remus. The two bumped into each other.

"Sorry." Remus apologized.

"Oh, it's alright." Sirius reassured. "Where are you headed anyway?" he asked curiously.

Remus shifted on his feet. "Well… I'm not feeling my very best at the moment. I've a bit of a headache and I feel a tad faint."

Sirius frowned. "Well, then you should get some rest. I hope you feel better."

The two said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Remus shivered as he continued walking, as if the air had gotten colder.

The fog in the crystal ball thickened as Bellatrix waved her hand over it a second time. "Now let me explain." Again, the fog cleared and showed a wooden door. "This is the door to Remus' tower. Every full moon night, the King and Queen have a mage sound-proof it so Remus' screaming can be heard by no one." She smiled evilly and pulled out her wand from her sleeve. "I say we break the silence."

-Sirius' P.O.V.-

It was nighttime and the rain was still pouring strong. I was on my way to my room, having a short time ago seen Remus walking to his, so I could turn in early for the night. It hadn't been a tough day, but for some reason I just felt very drowsy. I reached my room and instantly collapsed on my bed. I turned my head to stare out the window at the water droplets beating on the glass. It was soothing in a way. I would have fallen asleep right then and there.

But a flash of thunder struck, and a terrifyingly loud scream caught my attention. It had sounded like Remus!

Without hesitation, I leaped off of my bed and ran for the door. Once in the hall I sprinted as fast as I could in the direction of Remus' room. Another scream, this one long and agonizing, made me even more worried. I didn't look back at a shout of my name from a female voice, but I didn't slow down either. My heart was pounding. Remus was in trouble! I had to reach him as soon as possible, or I might be too late! When I reached Remus' tower, I took the steps three at a time and once I was about to slam the door open, I heard Remus scream once more, but this one slowly transformed into a howl. Fearing the worst, I flung the door open and instead of Remus, a human-like wolf stood panting, it's _golden eyes_ glaring.

It looked right at me. _Remus_ looked right at me.

It happened in a flash. The wolf lunged at me, mouth wide open, showing off its enormously sharp teeth and his claws were stretched outward, prepared to shred me to pieces. But I reacted quickly. I pulled the door shut and locked it, hearing the wolf bang and claw at the door wanting to get through. I backed away from the door, my eyes wide. My back suddenly hit the wall and I slid to the ground, staring intensely at the door.

Serena then appeared next to me. I supposed she had heard the scream too and followed me. I obviously saw something I wasn't supposed to see. I wasn't looking at her, but I could tell by the crack in her voice that she was scared. "Sirius?" she said, reaching a hand to me.

I batted it away and growled, "Don't touch me! Just leave me be!" I felt a bit guilty when she ran away crying. But my thoughts were focused on something else at that moment. I sat on the ground for a long while, my anger dissipating into sadness. I couldn't handle it. It was too much. I was so overwhelmed. So for the first time in years, I sat on the ground all night and cried.

-Serena's P.O.V.-

Nighttime turned to morning and I was in a terrible fright. Sirius had seen Remus' curse; he knew the truth. And he had been angry too. Nothing pointed to a good sign. I sighed, wiping the dry tears from my eyes. I hadn't gotten a bit of sleep that night. Father had been furious. He yelled and yelled and yelled even more. My mother, who had been crying with me, and I both managed to calm him down a bit, though he was still upset. I now feared for Remus' safety for a reason other than his curse. I slowly and tiredly took my healing supplies and went on my way to Remus' tower. I was dreading what Remus' wounds would look like. That night, his wolf side had smelled human blood and wanted it, but didn't get it. The wolf had probably been so enraged, that he tore himself apart, tearing Remus apart in the process. Anything that happened to the wolf's body, happened to Remus' body as well.

My thoughts, however, flew out of my mind when I reached Remus' tower.

Sirius was sitting against the wall, blankly staring at the door, his deep blue eyes, bloodshot with deep bags underneath them. Had he cried as hard as I had? Then, he noticed me. With a raspy voice that made me wince, he said, "Do you come here every morning after the full moon?"

I thought it an odd first question, but cast it aside. "Yes." I answered. "I come here to tend to his wounds."

For a moment, he looked me straight in the eye, but it was difficult to determine his feelings. His expression was completely blank and dull. He then glanced down at my bucket of healing supplies. He stared at it for a moment, then back at the door, then back at me. Then, he stretched out a hand to me and said, "I'll do it for you."

My eyes widened in surprise. Why would Sirius do such a thing? "I don't think that would be a good idea…" I stated nervously.

"Why not?" Sirius' face hardened.

"Well," I started to explain. "Remus is in… very bad shape after the moon. He has gashes and scars all over and it can be very bloody-"

"I don't care!" Sirius exclaimed, making me jump. "I'll help him!" he looked desperate. "Please. Will you let me help him?"

I sighed and reluctantly nodded, handing over my bucket. He took it from my hand and stood from the ground. "Thank you." He told me. "I'll do as best a job I can." And left through the door.

I would have left, but I just couldn't.

-Remus' P.O.V.-

I woke to the feeling of wet warmth on my head. I moaned at the feeling, and slowly reached a hand to the source of it, but another hand gently took mine and set it back on the ground, next to me. "Don't move. You need to lay still."

I froze. That wasn't Serena's voice I heard. Still very weak, I turned my head and fluttered my eyes open. I saw familiar deep blue eyes and silky black hair on a blurry body. "Sirius," my voice go above a whisper, but it was laced with fear. "What are you doing?"

"Don't talk." Sirius demanded softly. "You'll strain yourself." He cast me a small smile, and continued with his work of dressing my wounds.

I was confused. Why was Sirius there? Why was he helping me? Why wasn't he questioning me? And why was he so calm? Before I could ask another mental question, Sirius started talking again.

"I saw you last night." I gasped, and my eyes grew wide. "Well, I guess it wasn't technically you I saw. I saw what you had turned into." His eyes were somber and avoided looking at my face, but my own eyes were brimming with tears. "I sat outside the door and waited until morning, so I could see you when turned human again."

I shut my eyes tightly, willing the tears not to fall. "I'm so sorry." I breathed out.

Suddenly, the washcloth on my forehead was removed and a hand placed itself gently on my cheek. I let my eyes open again and see Sirius right there, staring at me intensely. "Remus." He began sternly. "You have nothing to apologize for. It's not your fault you're a…" he swallowed hard. "werewolf." A tear finally dropped from my eye, and Sirius was quick to wipe it away. He then continued. "You never chose to be one. It was nothing you could control. You've done nothing wrong."

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I cried. Sirius sighed and pulled me to him. "It's alright, Remus. You shouldn't cry." But I only cried harder. He then put one of his arms underneath my knees and the other around my back and lifted me off the floor. As I wept, he carried me to my bed, where the sheets laid ripped and shredded. He laid me down on it, and left, only to return with a large, warm quilt. I was about to close my eyes and calm my tears, but I felt Sirius climb into the bed with me on the other side. "W-what are you doing now?" I asked through a sob.

He smiled down at me and put an arm around my waist, hugging me closer to him. "I'm staying here with you, obviously." He took my face in one hand and said, "I'm not going to leave you when you're hurt like this. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'll always be there." And since I continued to cry; disgusted my own existence, guilty of lying to Sirius for so long, and scared of being left alone, Sirius made no move to stop me from burying my face into his chest and clutching his shirt with my fist, wetting the cloth with my tears.

And as Sirius took my tightened fist and gave it a small squeeze, I didn't feel alone anymore.

-Serena's P.O.V.-

I saw them together. I had been standing outside the door, listening to their conversation. I knew it to be rude, but I couldn't control curiosity. Besides, if Sirius started yelling, someone had to be there to stop him. After about thirty minutes, I didn't hear anymore talking. I only heard Remus crying. I felt horrible. There was a sick feeling in my stomach, but instead of focusing on that, I peeked my head into the tower door.

What I saw made me wish I hadn't, but it also made me thankful that I did.

Sirius and Remus were on the bed, cuddled next to each other. Remus was curled into a ball and crying into Sirius' chest. Sirius was draped protectively around Remus, running a hand up and down his trembling back in an attempt to soothe him. He was whispering into my brother's ear, so I couldn't hear what he was saying. Gradually, Remus' crying ceased and he fell asleep in Sirius' arms. Sirius was staring at him. A strange look was in his eye, but it was so dark, I couldn't make out what his expression looked like. And then, it happened.

Sirius kissed him. Right on the corner of his lips. I was in shock. It was such an intimate place for a kiss. And Sirius' lips had lingered there, as if he didn't want to pull away, and I could tell that this wasn't just a kiss of comfort. It was a kiss of adoration; a kiss of devotion; a kiss of love.

It was a kiss I wished he'd saved for me.

Sirius finally pulled away, and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against Remus'. And soon, both of them were comfortably asleep.

Feeling as if I was intruding on the moment, I pulled my head out of the door and closed it quietly. Without a sound, I walked down the stairs and kept going. To where, I don't know. I just needed to walk. Seeing Sirius and Remus laying in the bed, had made me think many things. The two of them laying there had looked so… natural. Like it had been meant to be that way all their lives. Just the two of them. Together. Then, Sirius' intimacy with Remus made my heart shatter to tiny pieces. The closeness, the touching, the whispers, and the kiss… Sirius never held me like he held Remus. Sirius never spoke to me like he spoke to Remus. Sirius never kissed me. Ever. The faith I had in Sirius' love for me was drastically dwindling. It made me sad, scared, angry and confused all at once. But I had to keep my head held high.

I was not a woman that gave up. But soon, I feared that giving up would be my only option.

**Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed both chapters 2 and 3! I worked really hard to write and upload them as fast as possible! I hope it was worth the wait!**

_**Review Please!**_


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